Shayla's New Moon
by RaeKai
Summary: The sequel for Shayla's Twilight. Shayla watches New Moon unfold as she tries to help Edward deal with the loss of the love of his life and he becomes an empty shell. And the worst thing about is that it's entirely HER fault. Follows NM storyline. [ON HIATUS]
1. Chapter 1: High School is still Hell

**Shayla's New Moon**

**Author's notes: This is the sequel to Shayla's Twilight. If you haven't read it already, you won't fully understand this story. But here is a quick summary for you:**

**Shayla Cullen is the youngest of the Cullen family, with only being created in the early 70's. Her gift are her animal senses, meaning her senses are stronger and she is almost at one with her animal side with her growls and the sprouting of claws, she's wild and unpredictable in battle but she can control it. **

**Anyway, she comes back after a year-long absence to find that her brother Edward has now found Bella, a human whom he loves very much. Shayla battles her thirst and then, a tracker shows up while they are playing baseball and wants to kill Bella. Alice, Jasper and Shayla whisk Bella away to Phoenix buy James, the tracker, follows them and ends up with Bella in a ballet studio. But the Cullens show up and beat James, but Bella gets injured. Shayla goes home but the story ends with the prom night where Bella is nearly fully healed except for her broken leg.**

**So basically, it followed Twilight's storyline. And as you can guess from the title, this is Shayla's New Moon. I hope you enjoy it.**

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**Shayla's POV**

It was a pretty normal day in Forks. It was drizzling, no surprises there, and the local vampires were still battling their thirst. Well, some where. Okay, it was just me. But it was a special day today despite the normality of it. Today, Bella Swan turned eighteen.

My little human sister. Or sister-to-be. I liked Bella a lot. She made my brother… happy. Even though a few weeks back we had some trouble with a sadistic tracker by the name of James, we had finished him and his little fire-headed friend had run off as fast as her legs could carry her.

But none of that mattered now. They weren't coming back. Bella was safe. But not safe from the birthday wishes and presents that she desperately didn't want and had requested for none. But seeing as Edward and Alice had ignored her request, I had decided to ignore as well.

"Happy birthday Bella!" I cried as I skipped over to where she, Edward and Alice stood. She flushed red but seemed relived that I didn't have a present.

"No present?" she asked, her relief flooding into her voice.

I didn't answer straight away but snickered in response. "That's what you think."

Her face composed herself into worry and Edward wrapped an arm around her. "Now be nice Shayla," he said warily to me. He knew I loved to tease people but there were occasions where I took in one step to far. Like now.

"Sorry," I muttered before stepping back and darting away as quickly and humanly as I could. The wind had just blown over the school and Bella's scent plus a thousand more had just hit me as hard as a speeding school bus would hit a human. It still made me thirst for her; despite the few days I spent trapped in a hotel with her while we hid from James.

I headed to my class, English, and was the first one there. I leant against the wall and closed my eyes, focusing only on my breathing.

"Hey," a quiet voice suddenly said and I looked down to see Alice standing before me. "I saw what happened. And I am not talking about my visions. It's okay, you can be strong."

I glared at my sister in frustration. I needed to be strong. But I wasn't. "I need to be – but I can't. That's the problem.

Alice put her fingers to my cheek and gazed intently into my eyes. "It'll be okay. Are you still up for tonight?" She was referring to my 'present' that I had organized for Bella.

I grinned. "I wouldn't miss it for the world! The guys are really excited. And so are the girls, especially Jessie and the newest guy, Corey."

"Excellent," she concluded just as the class began to file in, including Edward and Bella. We sat up in the back row, with me on the far end, Alice next to me, Edward beside her and Bella was beside him.

The class was boring, as usual. The teacher, an old woman with greying hair, glasses and a temper issue, Ms Ashore, was droning on and on about Romeo and Juliet, a pathetic love story which I had nor the time or patience to listen to. I had things to do, people to see. I had to figure out when they would show up… I was daydreaming and not really listening to the teacher when someone yelled at me.

"Shayla Cullen?! Are you still with us?!"

I looked up to see Ms Ashore looking very, very irritated as she stood in front of the blackboard which was half covered in notes.

I raised an eyebrow, the one with the small silver stud pierced in it. "Yeah Miss?"

"Don't you 'Yeah Miss' me Miss Cullen. You seem to have no interest in anything I say now so why don't you express YOUR opinion on Romeo and Juliet? Hm?"

I sat up straighter in my chair. "Well, personally, I find Romeo and Juliet to be… the most pathetic and sad love story ever written. And when I say sad, I'm not talking about the emotion, I mean as in its downright lame."

I heard some of the girls gasp at this and some of the boys sniggered at my daringness to challenge Ms Ashore on Romeo and Juliet. We all knew that she practically worshipped Shakespeare for writing the tragic play and that those who dissed it, well, they were toast. Not me though. She had asked for my honest opinion and I had given it, freedom of speech wasn't it?

Ms Ashore's mouth opened and closed a few times before she managed to hiss at me, "How so Shayla? Would you care to elaborate?"

"Certainty," I answered boldly. Alice, Edward and Bella shot me dark and worried looks. Ms Ashore was notorious for her debating skills and would often shoot down both students and teachers alike who dared to challenge her. But I had a back-up on my side.

"Well first of all, the ending is slack. It seems that he, Romeo, had a religious view of the whole situation, with believing that he and Juliet shall be together in the Afterlife. Wrong," I said this all with confidence and I made the last word sound blunt and final.

"How so?" the teacher dared to ask.

"'Thoult shall not murder?'" I quoted, looking up at her. "The sixth commandment? Although we don't know for certain, we can assume that Shakespeare was Christian and that this faith was passed along to his characters. And if that being said, Romeo murdered Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, and Count Paris as well, and so he broke that certain commandment – twice. Off to Hell he goes while perfectly innocent Juliet waits up in Heaven for her lover that is never going to come for her. Quite pitiable really."

Ms Ashore looked quite red in the face. "But that is wrong," she eventually snarled at me.

"You asked for my opinion," I argued back. "And I gave it. And I must admit, it sounds a lot better then the crap you are going on about it being the best damn love story ever written." I couldn't help it; I had to tell her how stupid she sounded, going on and on about the 'star-crossed lovers' who weren't to be.

"Shayla Cullen!" she then shouted at me, angry. "How dare you speak that way to me! Where are your manners?!"

I rolled my eyes at her rage and crossed my arms. "At home… right next to my ability to care about this stupid topic."

The class couldn't help themselves. The majority of the boys, Mike, Tyler and Eric leading them, made 'oooooo' noises at my words to the teacher. Ms Ashore face went from red to purple with rage as my smart-ass comment.

"Out," she hissed. "Shayla Cullen, I've had it up to here with your lazy attitude and your smart-mouth comments! March yourself down to the Deputy's and give her this note!" She quickly scribbled a note as I packed up my books.

"You've done it now Shayla," Alice whispered quietly to me that no human could pick up. "They'll probably call Esme – again." Edward sighed with frustration as he picked up my 'I don't really give a damn' thoughts.

I grunted and walked past them. Ms Ashore, with her face full of fury, held out the note for me at the door. I snatched it and stalked out. She slammed the door behind me and I heard her turn back to the class. "Now then, now that our resident Romeo and Juliet hater has left the building, we can now resume our board notes on _why_ Romeo and Juliet was indeed a legitimate and true love story. Now write!" The class groaned in protest.

The deputy principle wasn't pleased. After reading the note which had concluded that I had been mocking Ms Ashore's teaching style and opinion, that I never paid attention in class, and that I was continuously being rude and brash to the teacher, she called home.

Esme was coming to get me. When she arrived, I had been sent out into the office hallway while they had 'a chat' which I had tried not to listen to while I focused my energy on updating my status on Facebook via my phone. Carlisle had only let me keep it after I promised that I wouldn't add humans (Bella was the exception to this rule but she rarely hopped on it) and that I would only use it to keep up-to-date with my Australian friends, Maddy and Matthew Carter, Theo and Tiffany Woodley, and Corey and Jessie Green. The first two pairs were mates and married but Corey and Jessie were twins – literally. An unknown vampire had changed them both together and when they woke up, they had no one. They had lived like savages until Maddy found them and, being the kind and caring person that she is, she adopted them and shown her the 'vegetarian' way. They were young, only fifteen years old physically but a good ten years older then me in the vampire way, but they quickly adapted to the lifestyle.

Of their family, Maddy, Theo and Tiff were the only gifted ones – Maddy could see a person's memories by simply being in their presence but could see them better by touch. Theo had telekinesis and could move objects and beings around him simply by focusing on them and moving his hands which almost seemed to 'glow' with power. And Tiff could create a 'bubble' around her and others that protected them from physical harm. It wasn't as strong as Renta's of the Volturi, but it was strong enough to withstand multiple blows. Depending on how hard and fast you came as her, and how prepared she was, it could take as little as one hit or up to, maybe twenty or so, to break through. It was useful when solving our petty fights as well.

I had met Maddy while in Australia for a brief holiday and she had introduced me to her mate, Matt, and her 'sister' Tiff who was Theo's mate. Corey and Jessie were new though, I had met them after the prom last year where they, and the rest of my friends, were a part of the band that Theo managed, funnily enough called Midnight Blood. I was a part-time member, occasionally jamming with them when they came into town.

When I had finished updating, (I had written: "Dang it, at the Deputy's again :( Damn English teacher lol), Esme had came out and I had earned a clip on the ear from the Deputy for having my phone out. She would've taken it but Esme promised that she would deal with me later.

Esme would not speak to me until we safely made it to the car, which was Carlisle's Mercedes. Unlike the rest of us, Esme didn't have her own car (or bike in my case) and required on us to get her around. We didn't mind, after all, we owed Esme for a lot of things.

She didn't scold me right away. Esme wasn't the yelling type. Instead as we hit the highway near home, she muttered to me, "Shayla this has to stop."

I had been staring out the window when she had spoken this and I glanced back towards her. "It wasn't my fault. That was unfair," I argued.

"Shayla did you, or did you not mock the teacher's style of teaching?" she asked.

I paused to answer. "Well… I did state that I thought what she was teaching us was wrong."

"Is that exactly what you said?" she questioned further in a stern voice.

I grinned sheepishly. "Um, not really. I said that I thought her opinion of it being the best damn love story ever written was crap.

Esme didn't say anything for a moment. But then she sighed at me. "Shayla, sweetie, you have to stop this impulsive back-chatting that you do."

"So you're siding with them?" I snarled. "That's so unfair; Ms Ashore has hated me from day one. It's not my fault that I was the only brave one to stand up for myself with my own opinion."

"I'm not siding with them," Esme stated sadly. "I am just worried about you. I know you are physically sixteen and are forever stuck in that adolescent stage but, I think you just need to tone it down a bit."

We pulled up at the house then. I threw myself out and stormed into the house. I heard Esme call out, "I'm going to pick Carlisle up after I go shopping. Stay out of trouble!"

"Shayla, stay out of trouble? That's rather unlikely…" a voice behind me chuckled. I spun around to see my brother and sister who were meant to be in Africa, Emmett and Rosalie, standing behind me. I was surprised that I hadn't picked up their scent.

"Em, Rose!" I squeaked out and threw myself at them, hugging Emmett around the middle and embracing Rosalie in a tight squeeze. Even though he could be an annoying jack-ass and she could be a bitch, I had missed them both heaps.

"Yeah, I missed you too Shay," Rosalie laughed, kissing my cheek.

"Same here," Emmett agreed. He then raised an eyebrow. "So, you got busted again at school?"

I made a sour face at him. "Yeah, I had a go at a teacher over my opinion of Romeo and Juliet. And I called her belief that it was the greatest love story ever written crap."

They both snickered in response. I frowned at them. "It's NOT funny. Esme is really disappointed in me." I sighed. "Now, I'm going to go ring Mads and see when she's coming around. See yas later."

And with those words I darted upstairs to ring my best non-sibling friend.

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**So what did you think? Good, bad? I'll have the second chapter up ASAP.**


	2. Chapter 2: Party Time

**Here is Chapter 2 guys. It was really fun to write ^^ And here's where her group of friend's start to really shine. C'mon, everyone else had their own personal friends ('cept for Em and Rose) so I thought she deserved some :D**

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**Chapter 2: Party Time**

**Shayla's POV**

After ringing Maddy who had informed me that she and the girls would be there soon after they finished shopping, and that the guys were bring all the equipment out in Corey's jeep, I had stepped downstairs into the living room and started to clear it for Bella's party. Alice had told me that Edward would manage to convince her to come out for a small 'party'. And I was just getting my gift ready. We just needed to practise some more.

You see, my gift was to have Midnight Blood play here at home. And I was going to be joining in. Despite our name, we were more of a pop group then a heavy metal/ emo rock band. We had cooked up the name on a random brain storm after seeing another band called Vampire Weekend, except that they were human. We rarely even got gigs because we all looked too young to be able to play in bars and clubs, and the sun was always out around Australia. Why they lived there, I didn't know. But it was a damn good place to live though.

The afternoon rolled around and quickly turned into night. We had cleared a space in the living room while Alice flitted around, putting dozens of candles and crystal bowls filled with roses everywhere. She put up a table with a white cloth and stacked crystal plates, more roses and a small pile of presents on it. I thought she had done far enough but then she came out with a big pink birthday cake.

I had been strumming on the electric guitar but had stopped suddenly once I saw the cake. "Alice! Are you nuts?"

Theo snickered from the drum kit as Alice put the cake down. She glared up at us, with me on the lead guitar, Maddy on the violin/ fiddle, Theo on the drum kit, Corey on keyboard, Matt on the other guitar, Jessie on bass and back-up vocals, and Tiffany was controlling all the sounds we couldn't produce through a sound board set up on a table on the back. There was also an acoustic guitar to the side. "No, but Bella would appreciate the gesture."

"Bet you can't keep down a slice for an hour," Matt shot at Theo.

"Bring it, boy!" Theo laughed back as he made a move towards the cake.

"Hey, no touching the cake!" Alice said, cutting in and standing in a protective stance in front of it.

Maddy scolded them, "Boys, behave!" She was the oldest of us, physically twenty-two and just past one hundred and ten years old and she acted as the martyred of their unique 'family'. They were smaller then us, with only the seven of them and the only other group of vampires other then the Denali's and us to be vegetarian. But sometimes Corey and Jessie cheated, but they had sworn to be on their best behaviour tonight.

But that there was on of them that was missing. Peter, the one who I had admitted that I had a small crush on at the prom. Unfortunately, he had been unable to come into America to play with us but, he had promised to call later. We had talked after the prom and according to Matt; we were 'a thing' now. We weren't really dating but maintaining a long-distance close friendship thing. Even though I did like him –a lot.

We headed upstairs to change with advice from Alice. Us four girls stuck to my room while the boys borrowed Edward's room. They had brought clothes so we didn't need to borrow anything but it was still cool to try on new things.

Finally, after deciding on to just wear skinny jeans and various t-shirts (mine was a white tank-top) Alice called up to us. "Guys, it's time! They'll be here in five minutes!"

We rushed downstairs and quickly went over our final song-list. We had decided to play songs that I knew Bella liked or ones that we would think that she would approve of. Theo, the idiot, stuck my favourite flat-billed hat on my head and grinned at me. We then bumped fist, grinning at each other. Theo was awesome and hilarious, no doubt about it.

We took up our positions as Edward and Bella pulled up. I could hear them. "If I take this will you show up in the picture?"

I couldn't help it; I let out a bark of laughter at that. The girls giggled with me while the guys grinned. Even Rosalie cracked a smile as my family chuckled with them.

And then the door opened.

Bella stepped in with Edward, looking a bit embarrassed, which had automatically intensified as she caught sight of me and the band standing opposite her with instruments in our hands. Her eyes widened in shock as my family yelled out a chorus of 'Happy Birthday Bella!'

"Hit it up guys!" Jessie yelled suddenly.

We launched into Green Day's _21st Centaury Breakdown _followed by The B-52's _Love Shack_. Everyone cheered us when we finished and Bella was grinning like I had never seen her grin before.

"That was amazing!" she said after we packed up and I waved the band out. "I never knew you could sing that well!"

I laughed quietly, shaking my head slightly. "It's nothing really. The real amazements are Matt, Maddy, Tiff, Theo, Corey and Jessie. They are the greatest friends a girl could ever ask for."

"Ah." She nodded. "Was that my present?"

"Yep!" I laughed. "Did you like it?" I scratched the back of my hand with the other, a thing I did when things got awkward, like Edward's noise pinching and Alice's temple massaging. "Er, I didn't know what to buy you and I knew you would disapprove as well."

"I loved it," she assured me, taking a step close and holding her arms out a bit. Her scent tickled my noise but I held my breath while I analysed what she wanted. I then realised she wanted to hug me. I stepped closer to her and we wrapped our arms around each other in an embrace. "Thank you Shay," she whispered in my ear.

We let go and I grinned widely. Shay, she had called me by my favourite nickname. She was finally warming up to me, finally seeing me as a sister.

For the first time, Bella looked around the living room and cringed slightly as she took in the presents, roses and candles.

Carlisle swept over to Bella and wrapped an arm around her and stage-whispered in her ear, "Sorry about this Bella, we couldn't rein Alice in."

Emmett and Rosalie stood behind them. Rosalie didn't smile at Bella but she didn't glare. At least that was a slight improvement. Emmett, who went up to Bella next and started to tease her before he stated that he had to step out before winking at Alice and I. "Don't do anything funny while I'm gone," he added, more directed at me then Alice. I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him.

"I'll try," Alice answered as she let go of Jasper's hand and skipped forward to Bella. Jasper smiled but stayed by the stairs. I joined him, smiling at him as we leant against the stairs together.

"Time to open presents!" Alice declared as she gripped Bella by the elbow and dragged Bella to the present table.

"Alice, I know I told you I didn't want anything –" Bella protested.

"But I didn't listen," Alice interrupted, slightly smug. "Open it." She pressed a silver package into Bella's hands.

It was the empty box of the new stereo for Bella's truck. When Bella realised, she laughed and called out to Emmett, "Thanks, Emmett!" He let out a booming laugh in response.

"Open mine and Edward's next," Alice urged, so excited that her voice was a high-pitched trill. She had a small, flat square in her hand which I knew was a home-made CD with Edward's piano pieces.

Bella turned to glare at Edward. "You promised."

But before he could answer, Emmett bounded in. "Just in time!" he crowed. He pushed in behind Jasper who had drifted closer then usual to look. I shoved him to the side and stood beside him.

"I didn't spend a dime," Edward assured Bella as he brushed her hair back from her face.

Bella turned back to Alice after inhaling. "Give it to me," she sighed which cause Emmett to chuckle with delight.

She fumbled with the package, while adding an eye roll before she made a jerking movement.

"Shoot, she muttered as a single drop of blood oozed from the cut and down her finger.

I saw it drip and immediately held my breath. I was aware of Jasper stiffening beside me. I saw a crazed look in his eyes as they fixed on Bella's cut. He then launched at her and at the same time I leapt at him, my hand reaching to grip his arm.

"NO!" Edward roared as he threw an arm out, sending Bella flying across the table, scattering the cake, the flowers and the crystal plates. He held up his other arm and he slammed into Jasper, sounding like a rock-slide. At the same time, I wound my arm around Jasper's neck and dug my feet into the carpet as I pulled him back into a chokehold. I may have been the strongest female, but I still needed Emmett to help and as soon as he saw this, he rushed over.

And then I made my deadly mistake. I opened my mouth and took a breath as I worked up words.

Oh God, the scent of blood was intoxicating. It made my head spin, my stomach twist with anticipation, my venom flow in my mouth. I wanted her, and I wanted her now.

I released Jasper as Emmett and Rosalie restrained him and I launched at Bella, my teeth bared and a grisly snarl burst out from behind my lips. I probably looked insane, like a rabid animal, as I felt the venom glisten its way over my teeth and drip down my chin.

"No Shayla!" Alice shrieked as she and Esme launched at me, grabbing me by an arm each. I might have been strong but I couldn't take both of them. I screamed with anger as I tried to free my arms but they just forced me against the wall, pinning me. I tried to use my legs to twist them off balance and throw them away from me, but Alice saw my movements and shifted her weight to counter that.

The scent was sending me into a frenzy. Never mind that it was my human little sister that was bleeding or that my brother was trying to feed from her as well. He could be disposed off easily once I ridded myself of the ones holding me down. The need grew stronger and I felt my claws burst out and claw their against Alice's shirt, fortunately not getting close enough to break her skin. The scent tainted my thoughts, I needed her blood.

"The hell you do!" Edward snarled and I roared back at him as I snapped my teeth in anger.

"Get them outside!" Carlisle called out, as he rushed to examine Bella's arm which now had a long cut from where the crystal plates cut her. And which was still pulsing fresh, delicious blood.

I was dragged outside and then forced into Esme's arms by Alice before she darted back inside. They, Emmett, Rosalie and Esme, then ran us through the woods, far enough so we couldn't hear Bella's heartbeat or smell her blood. The whole time I struggled madly but every time I got close to escaping, Rosalie, the traitor, would force me back.

And then the next thing I knew I was being dumped on the ground as Emmett held Jasper in a headlock as he tried to calm down.

I didn't struggle; I was so ashamed, deeply ashamed. I thought my thirst was under control now. It still hurt to smell the humans but I thought I was string enough to resist. Obviously, I was wrong.

I sighed as I curled up into a ball, wrapping my arms around my legs and resting my chin on my knees. I tried to be silent as I could but a whimper escaped from my lips. In a second, Esme was beside me, her mothering instincts kicked as she wrapped her arms around me and kept whispering words of comfort into my ears.

"No, don't," I mumbled before standing up and moving away from her. I felt my face form a pained expression. "I'm such an idiot! I knew that party was a bad idea!"

"It's not your fault though," Alice replied as she jogged into where we were assembled.

"It is, and I know it is!" I snarled at her. "If I could have held him back…" – I pointed to Jasper who was now standing up and calmed down – "And kept my fucking mouth shut, none of this would have happened!" I unleased a grizzly snarl as my vision turned red with rage. I saw nothing but anger as my guilt and shame flitted away to be replace with nothing but white-hot fury.

"Shayla, cool it!" Emmett tried to calm me down with his words but I merely growled in response. He growled back before he launched at me in an effort to replace me. I turned and ran, leaping up a tree, running, fleeing from my family. As long as I kept high enough from the ground, they couldn't track me.

And so I kept running.

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**Review please!**


	3. Chapter 3: Alaska

**Here's an update fools! Alice's POV ftw!**

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****Alice's POV**

**Chapter 3: Alaska**

"Where's she going?" Rosalie asked with hurt in her voice as we watched Shayla run away from us. Well, not running exactly, but more like climbing and swinging through the trees. Though a noisier way to travel, it made her virtually untraceable.

"I don't know," I answered sadly. "Her decision of where she is going hasn't been made. I'll go after her when I know."

I turned to Jasper who looked downright pitiful as Esme and Rosalie consulted him. Despite Rosalie's cold nature, when it came to her and her 'twin', they cared for each other deeply. They were really close, like Edward and I but their love of cars fuelled their relationship rather then I and Edward's bonding of abilities.

I bent down to Jasper's level. Ironically enough, it was usually him that had to bend down to reach me. "Jazz, its okay," I whispered, cupping his face with one of my hands and brushing my thumb gently over his cheek. "Really, it's all going to be okay."

"Alice… no, not now," he murmured before standing and running away into the woods in the opposite direction, just like his sister had moments ago. I only sighed just as I saw Edward in a vision, running after him. So he had decided to listen to Bella, Carlisle and I.

"Go after Shayla Alice," Esme urged. "I'll run ahead to home and try to get the scent out. I will send Carlisle out here as well. It'll be best for him to talk to her as well." She began to dart off. "Emmett, Rosalie!" she called over her shoulder and the two ran after her.

I turned and followed where Shayla had fled beforehand. Even though she had attempted to make herself untraceable, my gift was lending me a hand as I saw her in a vision.

_She was up at a cliffy area, up in the mountains, by a waterfall. She was kneeling down with her eyes closed, her hands clasped like she was in prayer. She was mumbling words and was then silence for a moment. She then lifted her head and focused her golden-toned gaze on the glittering night sky._

"_Amen. I love you Ma, I love you Pa," she whispered._

I ran to where I saw her. Her scent grew stronger as it suddenly dipped from the tress and her footprints appeared on the ground, further apart then what they usually would be. Ah, she was running at _her_ full speed, that is, in her hunting run. She rarely ran like that anymore, only when she wanted to get somewhere fast.

And then there she was, sitting right on the cliff edge on her knees, praying.

She lifted her gaze to the sky. "Amen," she then whispered. "I love you Ma, I love you Pa."

'Ma' and 'Pa' where not referring to Esme and Carlisle. They were referring to her deceased parents; one whom had died when she was only a baby, the other one was murdered – by her. Her father had been in the woods near our old home and had accidently shot himself. He wandered too close to the house when Shayla was only just a newborn. She had drained him instantly and, once she had realised what she had done, she had felt utterly helpless and sick with grief. She had even tried to kill herself by starvation. But the attempt was unsuccessful.

She had managed to hunt again and then move one, but her grief and guiltiness always remained. The only person that was allowed to talk about her father and mother was Carlisle. Sometimes, they would pray together.

Shayla wasn't very religious but rather spiritual. She believed that we had souls and that we had an afterlife. She believed in ghosts and spiritual beings, and even aliens. She annoyed the hell out of Edward with her beliefs but, he put up with her. We all did, even if she was our little sister. And a little sister is designed to be irritating; Emmett teased me about that for months.

"Shayla," I whispered and I saw her swivel her head around before rising to her feet.

"Hey Alice. How's Jazz holding up? He should know that it isn't his fault – It is my own." She spoke quickly and without attention, proceeding to stare out across the open land.

"He's fine – And it's no one's fault, especially not yours."

She made a noise of disbelief. "Did you miss the part where I let go of Jasper and tried to bite Bella's hand off?"

I flinched at her suddenly harsh voice, an effect of her short temper. "I don't miss things Shayla," I eventually replied dryly. "But I'm going to say this one more time and you better get it this time. It is NOT your fault. We're vampires, it's to be expected, and it was only an accident. It was no one's fault. Listen to me!" She had turned her head away and closed her eyes, trying to avoid looking me in the eye. "There is no way in hell that this is your fault!"

She let out a breath and sighed. "If it's not my fault then why do I feel so guilty?"

"You might be a vampire with your instincts but you're still got human emotions and feelings," I explained. "That is why we are different from the others. A normal vampire wouldn't feel guilty for nearly killing a human. Hell, they wouldn't feel guilty if they _did_ kill."

"Hmm," Shayla mused turning her face back to me and opening her eyes. "I suppose you're right… But I have made up my mind about something…"

I instantly scanned her future, looking to see what she had decided.

_She sat in a wooden cabin while a blizzard raged outside with a chess board in front of her. On the opposite side of the board, a beautiful girl, about two or three years older then her, with long, pale blond hair sat concentrating hard as she scanned the pieces. She picked up one and moved it but then groaned as Shayla moved another piece forward and laughed._

"_That's checkmate Kate," she chuckled. Kate scowled before standing up._

"_It's your turn Tanya!" she called out to another girl sitting in the corner. "I can't beat her!" Kate then darted from the room and outside._

_Tanya, a kinda-short girl with strawberry-blonde hair sniggered as she put down her book and walked over to Shayla. "C'mon Shayla, we've had enough chess for today. Let's go outside and see if we can have some real fun!" She giggled and Shayla joined in before they both ran outside._

My vision ended and I glanced at Shayla. "You're leaving?"

She nodded. "It's for the best Alice."

I let out a sad whimper. "But… But you don't need to leave… What if something big comes up?"

She moved towards me and hugged me. "Hey, it'll only be for a day or two. It'll be nice to see them all again, Kate, Irina, Tanya, Eleazar and Carmen… They are almost like family, our cousins remember?"

I hugged her back sadly. "Call us when you get there?"

She laughed and kissed my forehead. "I will."

I shut my eyes and watched a vision of her running there. All would go well even though it was a vicious blizzard and it would take her a good half a day to reach there, but she would be fine. I did worry about her, because she was the youngest, but not the weakest, and we protected her. Not that she needed it. It was time for me to let her go where she needed to be.

"Bye Shayla, I love you," I whispered but when I opened my eyes, she was already gone.

**

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**

Shayla's POV

I had taken off as soon as she finished speaking but I had not missed her 'Bye Shayla. I love you'. I didn't think that she would let me go – Esme certainly wouldn't and nor would my brothers have.

I kept heading north, running at full speed and then I hit the snowy region of Alaska, USA. There was a blizzard, a ferocious thing, but my keens eyes could see through it easily and my powerful leg muscles could thrust me through the foot-deep snow like it was nothing.

But I grew weak from my diminishing thirst. I had hunted four days before but I needed to hunt at least every five to remain at a controlled level. I had been travelling for many hours, at least six or more, the sun was rising above the horizon, and I needed to reach the Denali's territory before I lost control.

I manage to get to Denali in the nick of time, and headed to their home, a medium-sized cabin buried deep in the forest when I saw an unknown man leaving there. He looked familiar, with olive-toned skin and dark, dreadlocked hair. His eyes were golden-toned but still held a hint of scarlet.

Laurent.

He was once the coven member of James and Victoria, but he had blabbed about them to us after he accepted Carlisle's invitation to come back to our home. He wasn't the kindest person in the world then, but he had mentioned heading here¸ to try out their diet. But I was still trying to figure out why they'd accept him. He was a two-faced, backstabbing low-life.

I darted over to where he exited the cabin and called out to him, against my better judgement. "Laurent?"

He turned and smiled a small smile. "Hello there. It was Sasha, right?"

"Shayla," I corrected in a hard-voice. "Is Kate in?" Kate was my favourite, followed by Tanya. Kate was spunky and tough, not afraid to show off who she was, personality-wise. She loved to play-fight and wrestle but I was the only one who could almost withstand her gift. She could 'taser' a person just by touching them. It stunned them temporarily, giving her enough time to deal some _real_ damage. She could adjust how much damage she could do by having a 'setting', as she called them. Usually her 'low setting' just stung just a small past of your body and made you wince in pain, but her 'high setting' could wipe you off your feet if she tried hard enough. But she didn't use it sadistically, only in self-defence. Not that she needed to do so up here, it was too quiet and no other vampires other then her family and mine ventured up her.

"Um, yes, she is. I'll just go get her…" Laurent managed to stammer out before he turned and re-entered the cabin.

I waited patiently outside for a few moments before I heard a scream of my name in a high-pitched squeal, "SHAYLA!"

And then I was tackled in a hug by Kate, who was almost like a sister to me, as she refused to let go of me. God, had it been that long since I've seen her?

"Ugh, Kate! Get off me!" I yelled to her, shoving her off me easily. "I know it's been long but, damn it you didn't need to tackle me!"

She grinned up at me from the ground, with snow all caught in her clothes and golden hair. "But I missed you, it's been ages! Come inside, and see the rest of them!"

She dragged me into the cabin and announced me. "Hey, look who showed up! It's our baby cousin!" I glared at her. I was no baby.

Carmen and Eleazar were in front of me in a flash. "Well, if it isn't the _poco bebé _of the Cullens!" Carmen said excitedly. "How are you, _primo_?"

I nodded my head politely, "Could be better I suppose." I added a shrug to my remark.

"Well, c'mon dish it out!" I looked up to see Tanya darting in, her strawberry-blonde hair flaring out behind her. She twirled to a stop in front of me and grinned. "C'mon, tell us!"

I sighed and then I told them. Everything. About Bella, my bloodlust for her, the party… They didn't speak during my story, instead listening intently until I was done talking.

"So I told Alice that if it would be best if I came up here," I finished. "So here I am. You don't mind, do you? I hate to be a bother…"

"Oh, no, no it is fine Shayla." Eleazar beamed at me. "Have you met our latest coven member before, Shayla? Laurent burst in here saying that you wanted to see Kate and he seemed to recognise you."

I scratched the back of my hand with the other before speaking. "Well, around a few months ago, when Bella and Edward first started being together, we went out for a game of baseball. This was all very well and good until…" I hesitated as I saw Laurent enter the room, with Irina almost hanging off his arm, but I turned my back to them and continued talking to Kate, Tanya, Carmen and Eleazar. "Laurent was a part of another coven, nomads, with two vampires named Victoria and James. James was a tracker. He decided to hunt Bella and we raced to protect her and her father from him and Victoria who wanted to help him. Laurent didn't. Carlisle invited him back home and we explained our lifestyle to him, mentioning your family. After he told us everything that he knew about James, he left. We managed to end James and cause his friend to run off but we never saw Laurent again. Personally, I hoped we wouldn't."

"And what is wrong with that?" Irina suddenly growled at me.

I resisted the urge to hiss back at her but I was perplexed. Why did Irina care so much about him? Irina was always serious all the time and we never really talked. But she was nice enough to me, just being polite I guessed. But now she wasn't being polite.

"Well, seeing as he wanted to feed from my sister and how loyalty isn't high on his list or priorities, I thought it wouldn't be the best idea for us to run into him."

Irina curled her lips back into a growl, and this time, I returned the gesture and snarled right back at her. She lent down into a crouch and I copied her but made mine defensive, to counter back from her offensive stance.

I expected Kate or Tanya to step in between us. Or even Carmen or Eleazar. But to my great surprise, it was Laurent, the former friend of an enemy to my family.

"Please, stop it you two," he pleaded with us both before he turned his gaze towards mine. It was obvious that he had changed his feeding ways as his eyes were mostly golden, but they were darker, with a small hint of scarlet in them.

"I am no longer like that. I have found peace here with Irina and her family and I have changed my ways. Even though I sometimes find it hard to stick to my new diet, I know that with the love Irina gives to me and that I give back to her, we can overcome it." He turned to gaze misty-eyed at

Irina while I resisted the urge to barf. I hated all of that lovey-dovey couple shit. It drove me insane at home, now being the only 'single one'. Most of them tried to save it for when I wasn't around and arrange 'date nights' that I could get out of the house for and leave them in peace.

I readjusted my posture, so that I was in a normal standing position and smiled a little at Laurent. "Well… okay. I believe you. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions." I bowed my head a little and gave him a sincere smile this time.

He dipped his head back at me and moved forward. "Apology accepted. I can understand why you and your family would think that and I can't possibly blame you." He offered me his hand and I shook it, as a sign of respect between the two of us.

And that was the day, that I become friends with my former enemy, Laurent and his mate, Irina.

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**OMG, I just looooove the Denalis! Especially Kate. And Tanya. And Carmen. And, well I just love them all! Cept for Laurent :( So Shay does become friends with him but we all know what he does later :( Or tries to do at least. And he becomes wolf chow! XD**


	4. Chapter 4: Running in the snow

**Hey there readers! Biy, I churned this chaper out quick eh? Hehe, it's just a small filler of Shayla running back to the Cullens but please still R + R if you liked it!**

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**Chapter 4: Running in the snow**

**Shayla's POV**

I spent the next few days in Alaska, or just one-and-a-half to be exact. During the day when humans would be about in the woods, hunting, hiking or doing whatever they liked to do, we stayed in the cabin, playing chess and having long conversations until sunset. And when night fell that first night, we all went out to hunt.

I always loved the Alaskan wildlife and when we all went hunting that first night, they all saw that. I managed to track down a heard of elk and rounded them up, showing off my very own hunting style, on all fours, running around them like I was a wildcat of some sort.

I snarled at them, feeling the instinctive growl rumble my body, and grinned before leaping at them. I attacked a young female first and locked my powerful jaws around her neck, squeezing tight while digging my clawed feet into her body, and grasping her neck with my equally-clawed hands. Her high-pitched bleats cut off with a gurgle as her air supply was kicked off and I sliced my razor-sharp teeth through her thin tissue and onto her federal artery. I drained her quickly and easily and threw her body aside before tracking down the others that had fled and fed from them as well.

After I finished my quick feeding session, I buried the bodies in a scattered formation under the snow. The others, especially Laurent, seemed fascinated by my hunting style. Whenever we visited them before, I either went hunting alone or with a single family member, usually Jasper, or sometimes Emmett.

"Shayla, your hunting style… it quite perplexes me," Laurent had mentioned once we stopped in a small clearing to talk. I sat on a boulder as a result of a human habit of needing to sit and when he spoke, I lifted my gaze from watching my claws shrink back into my fingers. When I had first changed, the sensation was uncomfortable, like someone was tickling me as hard as they could, and I couldn't get to stop. But now, it felt normal, just a small numb sensation just after the final joint on each of my fingers and toes as that was when my claws first sprouted, hardening over the ends and then sprouting long, deadly-sharp silver claws.

"That's my gift, it's called animalistic senses, or something along those lines," I explained. "My senses are sharper, stronger then a normal vampire's, save for my hearing. I am more animal then human, more like the monster I am destined to be… but the one that I refuse to be." He still looked confused so I decided to show him more. "And I could also do this…"

With a grunt, I lifted my hands up and concentrated hard. In less then a second, I thrust my hands down to help them thrust out, and then the silvers claws grew out of the skin, sending a tingling sensation down my arms.

Laurent looked worried as he eyed me nervously. I examined my hand casually, feeling a little smug at his uneasiness, and tried to avoid smirking. But then suddenly, we heard music blasting, and it seemed to be coming from me.

_Nice legs, Daisy dukes, makes a man go whoo-whoo! That's the way they all come through like whoo-whoo! Low-cut, see-through shirts that make you whoo-whoo! That's the way that she comes through like whoo-whoo!_

My cell-phone was going off in my pocket, with the ringtone being _Starstuck_ by 30H!3. I shrunk my claws back in and quickly managed to snatch it out of the pocket of my coat, which Kate had kindly leant me, and glanced at the screen, to see who it was via the Caller-ID.

Alice.

Why the hell would she be ringing me? We always just texted each other when we were far away from each other. She wouldn't call me, unless… unless it was an emergency…

"Alice?" I asked, answering the phone, as I saw the other vampires flit away through the trees, their pale forms disappearing into the snow, as they tried to give me some privacy. "What's wrong? Why did you call me?"

"Shayla, get home NOW," she cried into the phone. "It's a major emergency just run home as fast as you can. There's no time to explain, hurry!"

The phone hung up with a beep and I stared it. What on earth was going on? An emergency? There were rarely any emergencies that could cause serious worries or threats to a vampire so what emergency could this be?

I didn't know but I knew what I had to do…

I took off back towards Washington, to find out whatever this emergency was.

I could feel the elk blood in my still veins, absorbing into my tissue. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to run at full speed. The fresh blood, it was like an energy drink, it gave me a boost of pure power. I unleashed it into my muscles, and pumped them as fast as I could.

I flew over the snow-covered ground on my own two legs, dodging every tree, seeing every individual leaf, every scrap and piece of bark on their trunks, and leaping over the black boulders of the Alaskan landscape. I let out a howl as I raced towards home, feeling my vampire side to come to life. This was who I am, my true being. I was not Shayla Cullen if I couldn't fly through the air like a bird, race across the landscape like a wildcat, and roar my lungs out like a grizzly bear.

The snow slowly transited to dirt under my feet before I reached the rainy rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula. It had taken me six hours to reach there and I had nearly forgotten where the border line was. But I remembered and I raced along it and I reached the river near home in a few minutes.

I immediately leapt onto all fours and leapt like a mustang across the river, before landing upright and racing into the house.

The back room was empty. "Carlisle, Esme!? Emmett, Rosalie!? Jasper, Alice!? Edward!?" I yelled out to them. But then I inhaled and picked up their individual scent trails. Dining room.

I raced onto the dining room and was met by a solemn sight. They were all seated around the table with Carlisle at the head, Esme by his side, Jasper and Alice seated to his right, Rosalie at the other end with Emmett, and Edward around on Carlisle's other side, with other chair empty. That was where I would sit.

They looked up when I entered. "What's going on? What's the big emergency?" I asked them as Esme hopped up and hugged me. I walked around to my seat, passing my siblings along the way. I bumped fists with Emmett and Jasper as I passed them, and touched my sisters shoulder's affectionately as they smiled at me.

But Edward was still and made no move or sound to say that he acknowledged me. His eyes… they stared without seeing, He didn't breath and his looked like a lost man. A man who has lost something important, like the thing that he holds most dear to him.

I didn't know what to think of this.

I sank down into the chair and Carlisle cleared his throat. "Shayla, we have decided that we are leaving Forks."

Talk about being blunt. As soon as he said those crucial words, I swivelled around in my chair from where I had been facing Edward, stroking his arm in concern as I tried to figure it out what was wrong with him.

"What!?" I hissed at the man who had become a second father to me. "Why the hell are we? We still have a few more years and this is my_ home_ Carlisle. My father's family has lived in this area for generations! I have only left here for a few times and those were necessary. This is my home!"

Carlisle and Esme exchanged looks. I guessed that they would figure that this would me my reaction. But their look also gave me the impression that they didn't like the idea much either, and that it was no their idea.

Edward's voice rang with misery as he spoke. "It's for the best Shayla."

I turned back to him. "You suggested this Edward? But, but, why? What about Bella?"

He flashed a look at me and realization dawned on. _She's not coming is she? You're leaving her behind._

"She's human, she'll forget about us," he answered calmly. "Just like every other teenage girl.

I growled at him, Bella wasn't like the other girls. "Edward, you idiot! Do you really think that she will forget!? This is going to kill her, it'll destroy her!"

"It's what's best," he answered, still calm.

I snarled. "What's best for her? Or what's best for _you_?"

"It's to keep her safe! Can you not understand that?" He finally lost his temper and leapt from his chair, sending it flying backwards. "I love her more then anything in the world! But that birthday party opened my eyes. She will not become one of us! She'll have a chance to have a normal life, which we couldn't have! She'll finish school, go to college, have a career, maybe even get married to someone who can't kill her and have children! I will not damn her to this life, a life for eternity! I will not take her soul!"

I stood up too and glared at him. "So this is because I tried to kill her? Well, that's fixable without moving the whole family! I'll just go away for good. I'll go back to Australia and stay with my friends, or I'll go be a nomad! I'll go anywhere to keep her safe from me Edward! Like or not, she's my sister too and if I have to stay away from my family to keep you two together…" I took a breath and looked him straight in the eyes. "So be it. This is our home Edward, and I won't let you take it from us!"

"It's too late Shayla," he answered bluntly. "We're moving to keep her safe from all us, not just you, and me. Especially me. No arguments!"

"Who the hell do you think you are, my father!?" I yelled back at him, tired of his bossiness of the situation, before I stomped up the stairs to my room, and slammed the door with enough force that it cracked down the middle and fell off the hinges, and the whole house shook from the strength of me slamming it.

How could he this to us! Of course, it was my entire fault – if I had been strong enough to resist the temptation and had held my brother down instead of trying to attack Bella as well – we wouldn't be in this mess!

When a vampire gets into a situation where they just feel the need to let all their anger out, they usually destroy something. And that was what I felt like doing except… well, I couldn't really do anymore damage to our poor house. I had already broken the door and parts of the doorframe. So I did the next best thing: I put heavy metal/ punk rock on at volume that would've sent a human deaf in a matter of hours if they had been listening to it.

The CD I put on was My Chemical Romance's _Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. _A good choice for people who didn't want to think about the horrible things they had to face and if they didn't want to think about anything reallyWith a sigh I threw myself backwards onto my bed, and pulled a pillow over my face before curling up on my side.

I heard someone walk up the stars, a miracle I thought because of the mind-blowing, head-pounding music, and step into my room. They, whoever it was, shifted the door out of the way, and when they did, a small wisp of their scent fluttered over to my face under the pillow.

My mother sat down on bed near my shoulder and rubbed my arm affectionately. I shrugged away from her touch but she wouldn't allow it. She pulled me closer to her and removed the pillow. I sighed out of irritation as I sat beside her. "Esme, this is all my fault. I have to go away so you don't have to move. I won't let Edward leave Bella."

She sighed as she wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders. "Shayla, I love you with all my heart. I cannot bear to see you ripped away from the family. Edward has made up his mind and, as much as I hate to admit it, we do need to move. Carlisle is claiming be to thirty-three now and they're getting suspicious at the hospital. We've done this before, and I know it's different this time, but we do need to move on before we get caught."

I ruined and looked at her before sighing sadly run my fingers through my air. "But, Mom… he's going to die without her. They belong together… forever. She's meant to become one of us, and now she won't because I wasn't strong enough. "

"It's not your fault though…" she whispered back. "But I know what you mean. But there are times, when if you love something so much, you'll do anything to keep them safe."

I couldn't help but nod at her solemn words as we embraced each other as we prepared to leave her human daughter, and my human sister, behind.

**

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****Oh, and btw, there is a trailer for Eclipse out. OMG, I know right? Anyway it's at http://twilightsaga (dot) wikia (dot) com/wiki/Eclipse_(trailer_1)**


	5. Chapter 5: Ithaca

**Hey there reviewers/ readers! I'm guessing your wondering where the the Cullens are heading! Well, according to ALice in NM, they got to Ithaca :P**

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**Chapter 5: Ithaca**

**Shayla's POV**

We had decided to move to Ithaca, of northern New York. We had never lived there, northern New York, yes, in Rochester where Carlisle rescued the town darling, a.k.a Rosalie, in hopes that she would become a mate to Edward, but that plan had failed miserably. We had never resided in Ithaca, a beautiful town surrounded by gorges and waterfalls. I had looked it up on Google and had discovered that the sun rarely shone there, it was always cloudy, but it hardly rained. The clouds were suspected to be from pollution but it wasn't confirmed. Not that it mattered to us anyway.

Carlisle was getting a transfer from Forks to the local hospital, but it wouldn't be valid for a few weeks. But we were still moving the day after I came home.

Rosalie and Alice helped me pack. They manage to clean out my almost-bare closet and analysed my few pairs of shoes before they went shopping to get me some more of each, despite my protests. And then Jazz came in, offering to help me pack up my other stuff. He was a good brother to me, and I didn't really deserve it. When I tried to explain this, he refused to leave and instead helped me. This later turned out to be a good thing as we had to then go around at vampire speed, packing most of our personal belongings into boxes and suitcases, before carting them downstairs to the garage.

We packed all of my CDs and books into boxes, needing only one for each, as well as my stereo, electric guitar and several other electronic items. We decided to live my decorative swords behind as well as my drum-kit. Even though I did enjoy playing it, I rarely did anymore and it was Theo that was the star drummer. I called him on my cell and he happily arranged to pick it up.

But then there was one thing that I was going to leave behind and that I really didn't want to. My motorcycle, which was a '97 Harley Sprint, was that certain thing. I had first gotten after Rosalie saw it and had saved it from being reduced to scrap metal. It resembled the much older and rustier one that I had ridden as a kid on the farm.

To me, taking the bike would mean that I would be taken the last scrap of home away from where it belonged.

I kept thinking of all of this as the rest of my family drove their cars out of the garage. Jasper had his jade green Mercedes AMG, Emmett had his jeep, Rose had her BMW, Carlisle had his Mercedes and Edward had two cars, his Astron Martin Vanquish and his Volvo but he was leaving the Astron Martin behind and taking the Volvo. Esme didn't have a car and nor did Alice.

I stood at the garage entrance, staring at my lonely old bike standing by itself by the wall while my family packed their cars. I let out a sad sigh as I looked at it.

Emmett came and rested a huge hand on my shoulder. "You don't want to leave it behind, do you?"

I shook my head at him. "I don't want to but…" I looked up at him. "I want something of mine to stay here. And it means I don't have a ride, so be it."

"That's what you think," a voice chuckled behind us all, just as a loud revving noise roared behind me as a car skidded to a stop behind us. Too loud to be any of my siblings' cars, and even though it sounded a bit like Emmett's jeep, but it just didn't have the same vibe as it.

So I spun around to see the most kick-ass car that I have ever seen in my thirty-nine years. It was a metallic black Subaru Impreza WRX but it had been done up majorly. Someone, and I had a fair idea who, had painted neon green ragged green stripes along the side doors and hood, spray painted the rims to an electric blue colour, and had added a big black spoiler to the back. It looked like it belonged on a drag-racing track.

And sitting on the hood was the little short-ass Corey, with this huge cocky grin on his face. I ran up to him and he slid off and we hugged each other. "Dude, what are you doing here, man?! I thought you went home!" I asked him after I pulled back.

"Alice called and told us you were leaving. And she said that you wouldn't have a ride," he explained. "So me and the boys…" He gestured to Theo and Matt who had both hopped out of the car, which I then noticed had a leather interior. "Decided to fix up for you, with some help from the girls of course." Maddy, Tiff and Jessie beamed at me as they hopped out of the wide backseat.

Corey held out the keys to be. "Here, take them, it's yours now. Six-stack CD player, fair amount of horse-power, automatic with the special nitro stuff they use in drag racers, whatever the hell it's called… the full package."

"It's road-worthy, right?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow up.

"Course it is Shayla. It cost us a bit and little bit of time but we worked hard to get it done for you 'cause we love ya. Anyway, do you love it?"

If I could cry I would have had tears springing up in my eyes. It was just so… so… so thoughtful. "Oh guys, you're the greatest!" I manage to squeak out before I threw my arms around Corey. We all went into a group hug as I made sure to hug each of my friends. "You're the best friends a girl could ever want!"

They laughed good-heartedly just as Alice coughed and stepped forward, a digital camera in her hand. "Group photo anyone?"

We grinned in response before we stood in front of my brand-new car, grinning madly. I had Maddy and Tiff on either side of me, with their mates beside them, and Corey and Jessie on the end, doing identical 'peace out' signs with their fingers. We all laughed when Alice was done as my friends said their goodbyes to me.

Maddy was the last one to come up to be. The others had darted away, except for Matt who was waiting patiently near the trees. I opened the trunk of my new car, noting the large space and subwoofers, and placed my guitar, my suitcase of both brand new clothes, and then followed by the boxes of books, CDs and various electronics.

"Well," I started as I shut the boot and turned to Maddy. "This is good-bye then."

"It doesn't get any easier, does it?" she admitted sadly as she shook her head slightly.

"Good-bye Mads. I will miss you –heaps."

"Same here, babe," she grinned. I nudged her in the ribs with my elbow and we giggled together before embracing in a wide hug. "Good-bye Shayla, don't forget to write!" And then she darted off into the woods with Matt by her side.

I sighed sadly and walked to the driver's side of the car. Esme came and sat in the passenger side. She would be coming with me as I had no idea where our new home was, and she had the job of navigating me.

"You will see them again," Esme said, guessing my thoughts. "You will have an eternity together."

I couldn't help but chuckled at her words as I turned the key in the ignition, and switched the car on. It roared to life, which Rosalie glared at jealously, and nudged the accelerator with my toe before we raced out of the driveway.

I had driven before, but was used to a bike, being out in the open wind, racing along the highways with nothing but my thoughts to distract me. Driving was very different for me.

Following Esme's directions, we followed Edward in his Volvo out along the highway. We had left at sunrise, to avoid the traffic and police, and we raced along at full speed.

"Er, breaker, breaker, Grizzly to Baby Bear, do you copy? Over."

Emmett's voice broke through the radio. I laughed out loud when I realised that they installed a short-wave radio into my drag-racing-like car. Rosalie had installed them into the other cars, as a precautionary and Emmett's favourite hobby was hijacking them. He had come up with aliases for all of us. I was Baby Bear (despite my protests), Emmett himself was Grizzly, Rosalie was Goldilocks, Jasper was Texas, Carlisle and Esme were Papa Bear and Mama Bear respectively, Edward was Speedy and Alice was Pixie.

I looked around for a microphone and grinned when Esme opened the glove-box and pulled out what resembled Bluetooth ear pieces. She clipped on her ear and helped me clip mine on. The car didn't move an inch from the centre of the lane.

"BB reads you loud and clear," I answered him. Even though my mouth piece was up on my ear, Emmett and the others could pick my voice and what I was saying quite easily. "What's up bro?"

"Nothing much," he answered. "But I think Rosalie is a bit jealous of your new ride." He gave a chuckle as Rosalie hissed from her BMW beside me. I revved my engine at her before I sped up past her, earning a glare.

We kept talking to each other as we raced up the high way at illegal speeds, occasionally separating from each other as we overtook each other and raced each other, and occasionally getting scolded by Carlisle and Esme as we ribbed each other over the radio. We had no need to stop apart to get fuel but since I had a full tank, Esme and I kept going.

Finally, we entered the State of New York. We avoided going into the capital city and stuck to the back roads.

And finally, Esme directed to a road and we passed a sign that read 'Ithaca is Gorges!' According to Esme, it was the city's motto.

But we didn't go in to the city. We went around it and instead headed to our new home on the outskirts. We turned down a worn, dirt drive-way, almost as long as the one we had back in Forks, and stopped at the house.

It was very old and I could see that it dated back at least three hundred years, one of Esme's favourites to work with, and had tree-stories. It had a porch wrapped around the ground floor, and a veranda on the top floor, near a set of double-glass doors that I assumed went into a pent-house of some sort. The house backed onto a magnificent lake and I was sure that if I could get onto the roof, I could do an exhilarating, forty or so foot, dive into the water.

We were pulling my luggage out of the boot when the others pulled up. Esme and I were discussing plans for a garage; there was an old barn nearby and that would be perfect for it.

"So, this is it?" Rosalie noted, looking up at the worn house, a distasteful expression on her face.

She was with me on the fact that she didn't want to move. In fact, she was against the whole idea before I put my opinion in. Of course, she was happy that Bella was out our lives for good, in her belief of course, but she had grown to love that house in Forks as her home, and she never wanted to leave it. She hadn't spoken to Edward since he first insisted that we move.

I rolled my eyes at her. "No Rosalie, we have just stopped here and unpacked all of our luggage to admire it," I shot back to her sarcastically. "It's a beauty isn't it?"

She hissed softly at me and I growled back at her. "Now, now you two," Carlisle chastised gently as Emmett held his hands on Rosalie's shoulders, just holding her back. Rosalie's temper could flare up at any moment like my own and seeing as she was still pissed off at Edward… the smallest things set her off.

"No fighting," Carlisle declared as he picked up his and Esme's suitcases while Esme unlocked the door. I stacked my boxes on top of one another and placed them on top of suitcase, before lifting them all up and following my parents inside.

The living room was pretty bare and dust covered. The lounges needed replacing, the fireplace had burnt bricks in it which the distinct burnt smell, and the plain white plaster walls were cracked.

"It'll need a lot of work done on it," Esme said to us all as my siblings followed me in. "But it'll be worth it when it's done. Now why don't you all go and claim your rooms."

I heard Jasper and Emmett dropped their luggage before sprinting up the surprisingly unworn to stairs to fight over rooms. I darted after them to find that Emmett had claimed the largest room after the master bedroom, which had a large bathroom for Rosalie, while Jasper had gotten the smaller room with a study.

Alice and Rosalie were laughing at their husbands as I walked past their rooms and came to one at the end of the hallway, which wrapped around a large room in the middle of the house that I couldn't seem to find a door for, just near the back of the house.

I walked in, expecting to find a closet or something, but instead it was a beautiful room. It was completely square with large, plain windows that showed a view of the lake, and had a few small furnishings such a double-sized bed, a wooden dresser and a matching bedside table. A glass door led out to a small veranda with a patio table and chairs. The room went off a bit to the right of me to reveal a large plain wall with a single sliding door. Assuming this to be the closet, I slid it open.

It was a huge walk-in closet with many shelves for shoes, racks with hangers, and even more set of drawers. There were two more sliding doors set across from mine diagonally, so that they were in a triangle formation. Just between each of the doors was a rail with a curtain strug along the, to allow privacy I assumed. They went all the way to the centre where a large white pillar was situated, with small glass shelfs circling around it. I walked over to the door on the left first and banged on it hard with my fist before doing the same to the other. "Oi, get in here!" I called out to my sisters. "You have _got_ to see this!"

Alice and Rosalie walked in, confusion etched on their faces, and with their husbands peaking warningly over their shoulders. But the moment they laid eyes on the walk-in, their faces lit up.

"Wow," Rosalie gasped as she stared around the room. "It's magnificent!"

"Most defiantly," Alice agreed as she scanned the future excitedly, probably trying to envision all the clothes that she would buy to fill up the room.

"Beauty isn't it?" I grinned at them. I may not be a 'girly-girl' like them but sometimes; there were times where I couldn't help but get all excited about the simplest things, like this closet or the new clothes that I would fill it up with.

In less then three seconds, they brought their several suitcases in and zipped around their section of the room, putting shoes on shelves, hanging dresses and shirts on hangers and placing these on the racks and folding what couldn't be hung up and placing them in drawers.

I copied them, noting that I had a lot more of spare space left over then they did.

"Hm," I mused to myself, tipping my head a little to the side as I stood with my arms folded while analysing my closet space. "I think I need to get some more clothes." I picked up a old grey t-shirt, which was ragged and had torn sleeves and rips all through it. I hung it back up carefully – it was a favourite and I wasn't willing to throw it out.

"We can do that later," Rosalie said back to me as she came over.

Emmett followed her. "Let's go outside and see what there is to hunt."

"But I'm not thirsty, it's only been two day since I've hunted," I protested. I would need to feed again in three day –maybe. I could go for a week, a week-and-a-half without hunting, but it was hard. The burn in my throat… it controlled me. It limited when, where and what I could and who I could see. It was a terrible thing.

But that was the only bad thing about my existence, the thirst. I could run across open land and reach my destination that would take a human a week in days. I wasn't fragile so I could do anything a mortal couldn't do for fear of getting hurt. I was strong when it came to being physical but mentally… I wasn't.

I remembered the time that we had lived in Ashland. Esme, Carlisle and Edward had lived there for a few years – in fact, it was where Esme was found by Carlisle and turned. I had been just passed my mark of being five vampire years old.

I had not been strong then. A pair of nomads, whom where old friend's with Jasper, Peter and Charlotte, came to visit one evening. I had been wary of them, for I had never met non-vegetarians apart from the Volturi before, and their presence had scared me a little. I had not hunted in a few days, almost a week, and was trying to prove that I could last as long as my family did sometimes – a fortnight.

When I had finally cooked up the courage to come out of the woods after two days and meet them, it had been a horrible mistake. The faint scent of human blood had surrounded them after a recent feed, and I had immediately gone into a blood-driven frenzy.

Jasper had to work hard to calm me down while Edward and Carlisle tried to restrain me (Emmett and Rosalie were living separately from us at the time). I had slashed at my father with my claws, ripping his shirt and causing an ugly grating noise as my claws dug into his chest and tore his granite-skin. Despite the strong man he was, he still let out a shriek of agony as he still tried to restrain me. But once I had swiped at Edward as well, thankfully missing his face which was what I had been aiming for, they let me go.

Horrified at what I had done and tried to do, I did the only thing that made sense: I fled. I raced through the woods, going as far away as I could from my family.

Eventually, I had detected the soft sounds of vampire footfalls behind me and I instinctively turned, not ready to attack but to defend. My newborn year may have been up but one thing had remained that was now demising – my temper.

"What do you want?" I had snarled at him, angry at myself for letting myself to be found.

Edward pleaded with me, trying to get me to come back home. But when I refused out of fear for my family's safety, he did something that I would have never expected him to do He stayed with me through the night. We talked, and we grew closer then we ever had been before. When morning came, I followed him home.

Though my father healed quickly and didn't blame me for the incident, I would never forget that day, even with my flawless, perfect memory. It had been a turning point in my life, when I realised I must not try and tempt fate by tying to not hunt in order to be up to par with my siblings. I was new to this world and I needed to accept that.

"Yo, earth to Shayla!" Emmett's voice broke through to my thoughts. I glanced up to see them watching me. I gave my head a little shake. "Do you want to come and see what's around here, hunting-wise?"

"Um, sure. Let me just change," I told them as the boys exited and us girls pulled the curtains across to give each other privacy.

A few minutes later, after we changed into older clothes that could withstand mud, dirt and blood stains, we ran outside to join Jasper and Emmett. They rolled their eyes at us girls' tendency to change whenever we went out, before we took off into the forest.

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**So we go into a little bit more of Shay's past here, I hope you enjoyed that**!


	6. Chapter 6: Maternal Instincts

**Sorry for being late with updating! My laptop comked out so I'm using another computer to write this. Took a long time to transfer all of my stuff. I have anew fanfic in the works, so please watch out for it!**

**I would also like to remind you all about my blog which is at: http://haz-zasfanfictionblog(dot)blogspot(dot)com/. **

**Thanks to Equivamp for beta-ing this chapter as well :)**

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Chapter 6: Maternal Instincts

**Shayla's POV**

After we returned from our day-long hunting trek out in the woods, Carlisle called us in to the new dining room for a family meeting. The dining room wasn't as worn as the living room; it had emerald green (though slightly faded) carpet, chipped wood-panel walls, and a dining table, supposedly antique, with wooden claw-foot chairs.

We came in at our own pace, sitting where we would have back in Forks. Esme and Carlisle were already sitting when we walked in. When we sat down, everyone had their own feelings and emotions. Alice was really excited, Jasper was quite happy for her, Emmett was grinning and Rosalie was haughty and pissed-off. I could tell that Rosalie still didn't like the idea of moving here. And frankly, I agreed with her.

When Edward finally came in, he looked calm. He glared at me when he caught track of my thoughts. _You seem to be okay now, bro. I still don't see why we all had to leave Forks. Jackass._ I added that last line after his glare. _Don't act like you're mad at me, bro; you're the one who made us all leave._ He gave a small growl and I curled my lip up, slightly baring my teeth.

"Ahem," Carlisle coughed and we turned our attention back to him. "I think we need to choose what we are doing during our stay here. I will be at the hospital and I have decided that I will start teaching at Cornell soon." He turned to my older siblings. "Perhaps you might like to study there, Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper?"

Emmett and Rose exchanged looks.

"Well, Carlisle, we were thinking of taking another honeymoon," Emmett admitted gently. "Not going straight away, but we were thinking of going to Europe for a while."

Rosalie nodded, agreeing with her husband. "I could study engineering until we are ready to go though."

"And I might go study philosophy," Jasper chipped in. "It's a quite interesting topic and I would really love to learn more about it."

Carlisle nodded his head and looked at Alice. "Alice, what about you?"

Alice was quiet.

"I'm not exactly sure," she admitted. "But I would like to find out more about my human life by using that tape James made last year."

Last year, during the whole drama with James, he had tried to use a video camera to record himself torturing Bella, but while he was doing so, he revealed crucial information about Alice. Apparently he had met Alice when she was human, while she was in a mental hospital for suffering from visions. Alice had smelt to James like Bella had to Edward; beyond mouth-watering. But to protect her, an older and compassionate vampire had turned Alice. She had no memory of him or her time in the asylum. Only that tape had cleared up what she didn't know.

I could understand what Alice wanted. She wanted answers. Why was she put in a mental hospital? Why did her parents do such a thing? What had happened to her family? She needed to know these things.

Esme nodded her head as she spoke. "Of course, Alice. We understand."

Carlisle glanced at Edward. He didn't speak, but Edward answered. "No Carlisle, I don't want to."

My father nodded, Edward obviously had been listening to his thoughts, and then he focused on me. "Shayla, what are you doing to do?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I don't look old enough to get into university, though I'm not at the right age anyway, and I don't really want to go back to school. I might have a year off, and then maybe… I don't know… go travel for a bit…" I shrugged again.

My parents agreed with this and after another quick discussion of what Esme planned to do to the new house, we were dismissed.

I went to my room to move the rest of my things in. Jasper and Emmett were shooed out of their rooms by Alice and Rosalie, so I invited them into my new room to help me unpack my stuff. The problem was that they were not very good at following my particular method of organization.

"Hey, hey, hey!" I yelled at Emmett as he attempted to stick one of my many posters on the wall. "Pink goes over there…" - I gestured to higher up on the wall, slightly to the right, where my other posters of singers and bands were - "Up between Katy Perry and My Chemical Romance, and just below Jessica Mauboy!"

"Picky much?" I heard him mutter darkly in reply, before he removed the poster and stuck it where I had directed him to.

I went back to patiently unpacking my other belongings, such as my small collection of books. They were mostly fantasy novels, such as Harry Potter, Eragon, and a few that were concerning vampires like The Vampire Diaries. They, my siblings, had scoffed and laughed at me for reading such untrue tales, but I quite enjoyed struggling not to laugh at the ignorance humans had for my species.

My species… what had I been reduced to? Referring to my kind as a species? Moving away was the worst idea that had ever been suggested in our family's time.

I could feel myself getting more and more desolated and depressed as I thought about our decision and I sighed with sadness. But then a wave of great calmness and happiness crashed over me. I shot a sly grin at Jasper, who was smiling slightly as he pretended not to pay any attention to me, while he sorted my CDs into alphabetical order in the CD case in the corner of the room.

"Jazz, stop screwing with my emotions," I said to him, widening my smile into a grin as more emotions soared through me and replaced those less desirable feelings. Pain, sadness and irritation disappeared to be replaced by calmness, happiness, and joy.

I couldn't help but smile fondly at Jasper, and that wasn't his doing. Jasper was my favourite brother, not to bag on Edward and Emmett, but Jasper… he was always there for me. He took me on my first hunt, helped me after I killed my first human by accident, and even taught me how to be out in public and how to drive. Basically, he was a brilliant older brother. Emmett and Edward were too, but… Edward was too depressed all the time and Emmett was always joking around, never being serious. Though I loved that about Em, there were times when that just got plain annoying.

And Edward… I loved him more than anything, but ever since that party, he had gone into a deep depression, even worse than the one before he had met Bella. I secretly wondered how she was doing. I made a mental note to check up on her one day, to see how she was coping. Deep down inside of me, a certain feeling of dread told me that she wasn't, that she was acting the same, if not worse, than Edward.

After unpacking everything I had brought, I shooed the boys out and back to their girls before I took the empty boxes and suitcases to the closet down the hall. It was empty, so I figured I was the first to be fully unpacked.

I went downstairs to find Esme in the dining room, already making plans to renovate. She eagerly told me her ideas.

"I'm going to knock out this room and replace this with glass, just like our old home, and then I'm going to move the dining room into that spare study downstairs and open this all up," she told me excitedly. "It's not just going to be a house; it's going to be a home soon. Would you like to come help me pick out some furniture later? We could go into the city too…" she then asked me.

I shook my head sadly. "No thanks, Mom, I don't think I could handle it. Some other time maybe?"

"Of course." She nodded at me before turning around and murmuring something about picking out either wallpaper or paint.

I dashed upstairs to the second floor, but didn't stop there; I went straight up to the top floor.

There was a short hallway here, with arch-shaped windows set into the walls, which led to a single room: the penthouse. Or better known now as Edward's new room.

I knocked on the door. _Edward, you there, bro?_ I didn't hear an answer, but I did detect a faint trickle of his scent.

_Edward_… I tried to call him again, but there was no answer. I heard him walk across the room and move some things around.

_Edward, I'm sorry that I'm trying to be pushy… but I'm just so worried about you, bro… Please talk to me._

I heard him stop moving around and then I heard him sit on the bed, its springs squeaking. But then I heard another sound, one I had not expected to hear. Sobbing.

Edward was crying.

I yanked the door open and rushed to Edward's side as he sat on the bed with his knees drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped around his legs, and his face buried into his knees as his shoulders shook and dry sobs fell loose from his quivering jaw.

"Oh, Edward," I whispered, as I came closer to him. He made no movement to state that he heard me; there were only the rumbles of desolation echoing from him. I came closer still and I then came to stand before him. I sat down on the bed beside him before wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

_Oh, Edward… Edward, you don't know how sorry I am. Sure, you may hear it in my thoughts, but you cannot feel in my heart how sorry I am. I wish I could take all of it back… I am so, so, so sorry._

I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him into my lap, like I was the older one instead of him. It felt weird, but surprisingly natural. Maternal instincts; they might have been buried deep, but they were there. I kept my arms around him, hugging him to me as he sobbed. I watched him, almost tearfully, as he cried. Oh, how it pained me to see him like this.

I kept saying his name, both mentally and vocally, as I shifted my grip on him to cradle him in my arms. I stroked his shoulder gently. I knew that he liked to be sung to, he always used to say that I had such a beautiful voice. "Na, na, na, na, nah… na, na, na, nah… you are the music in me…"

I kept humming and singing to him, like he was a young child, like he needed a lullaby to fall asleep. But he wasn't a young 'un. He was my brother, who had lost the love of his life – and it was all my fault. I hadn't realized that I was thinking of Bella, when all of a sudden, he started to growl softly.

"Sorry, bro," I whispered as I cradled him. He lifted his head for a moment before he wept into my shoulder. I hugged him tightly to me, telling him that it was okay to cry.

"Shayla…" a voice said from the doorway. I looked up to see Carlisle standing there in the dim light, his face barely lit up by the moonlight filtering in through the closed blinds.

"I heard him growling," my father whispered to me as an explanation. "Is he… okay?"

I glanced from Carlisle to Edward. Edward had stopped sobbing but his shoulders still shook. With a tilt of my head, I beckoned to my father to come over.

Carlisle sat beside me as he comforted Edward. That was my cue to leave. I slid him off me and into Carlisle's lap. My father wrapped his arms around Edward to comfort my brother.

I slipped out of the room and met Alice on the stairs.

"How is he?" she asked, though I knew that she would already know my answer.

I sighed with frustration as I leant against the rail of the staircase. "He's not good Alice, not good at all. He's destroyed himself, he's not Edward anymore. He's an empty shell without her… it was like before they met… but worse. And there is not a damn thing I can do to help him!" I felt like slamming my fist into the rail in frustration.

Alice caught my hand before I could do so. "That isn't going to help," she said sternly. "It's not your fault Shay, it's expected of us."

"I know that now… I only wish I knew how to help him," I admitted.

I stared up at the ceiling in sadness, where I could still hear the faint sobs coming from my sad, lonely brother, Edward.


	7. Chapter 7: Hunting

**Seventh chapter :D! One of my personal faves with a cute little Shay and Rose moment :) EDIT: Here's the updated version whic has been beta-ed :D**

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**Chapter 7: Hunting**

**Shayla's POV**

When you are an immortal being, time passes quickly, faster than it would if you were just a mere human. Time passes, even if you are in a double period of a boring English class with a psychopathic teacher who is obsessed with Romeo and Juliet. Even if you spent your time observing your family as they rushed around, preparing themselves for their individual activities. And so, time began to pass quickly here, with two months passing by, and soon enough December was approaching.

Carlisle finally started working at the hospital, taking night shifts from five in the afternoon to midnight, before leaving early in the morning to go to Cornell University, where he was teaching Medicine.

Esme was making frequent trips to inter-city Ithaca, where she was going to various stores to buy supplies for the renovations on our new home. The living room was finished in two days; she painted the walls a brilliant white colour, hung light curtains, and bought a Plasma TV along with new furniture.

During the night, Rosalie and Emmett were planning for their getaway to Europe, but during the day, Rosalie and Jasper would go to the university to study. Emmett stayed home to 'watch the house' as Esme put it, but I knew that he was really just looking out for Edward and I.

Alice would either go shopping or spend the time in her room, trying to learn what she could off of the internet about what happened to her as a human. She wasn't finding much, even when I offered my assistance to her, and she was rather disappointed. The only thing that cheered her up is when she took me shopping late at night, despite my best wishes, and when Jasper came home from university. That was when I slipped off into the woods to hide, away from the couples.

I didn't like living in Ithaca. It wasn't what I expected. There a bit too much sun for my taste, and that was coming from the girl who spent a few months living in the bright and sunny southern land of Australia. Sure, I had been in Tassie, but still, sunlight was sunlight. It made the grass, flowers, and trees grow; it gave humans a sizzling tan and made us vampires sparkle.

And even though we lived out of the main city, there were still too many humans hanging around. Our driveway was shorter than the one in Forks and we could hear the cars driving by it, way too fast, quite clearly. A wicked bend snaked around, a good kilometre ahead, and it had caused many crashes before we arrived, many of them fatal. I feared that, since my incident with Bella, I wouldn't be able to resist if there was spilt blood from a serious crash.

Usually I would keep all of these ranting thoughts and many, many more, locked up tight in my head, occasionally venting to Edward if he was listening, but lately, I hadn't. I didn't want to cause Edward any more pain.

So I was now pacing in Rosalie's room, unleashing my seething rage in verbal form to her. She was the only one who would listen to my rants. She was one hundred percent with me on the whole moving issue, but was against me on moving away. Rose might seem hostile to those who don't know her, but to me, she is just an insecure girl… one who can be a total bitch when she wants to be. And that was kick-ass awesome.

I was glad that Rosalie was the only one to hear me ranting now. Emmett had managed to drag Edward out hunting, Alice and Esme were shopping, and Jasper was attending the university while Carlisle was teaching there. Rosalie had been nominated for 'babysitting Shayla' duty by Alice. I had almost choked on my mountain lion when I first heard of the babysitting thing. It was a precaution to ensure that I was never left alone. Carlisle had explained to me that, because I was younger than Jasper and still had less control than him, I was to have someone around me until I got my bloodlust back under control, which shouldn't take any longer than a few weeks. But still, it was nice to have company, company which I could rant to.

"It's not fair!" I ranted to her as I paced backwards and forwards across her room, my arms folded across my chest. "Why should we all have to suffer because _he_ thinks it's the best idea? I mean, sure, I tried to kill her… but it was only an accident, and it was to be expected! I mean, c'mon, we're vampires, what the hell did he expect to happen!? 'Oh, look blood. And since I'm not a vampire, I'm going to go outside and go play in the woods.' Gah!"

Rosalie made an 'Mmm' noise as she turned the page of the fashion magazine she was reading. She was leaning against the headboard of the bed with the magazine in front of her face, when I snatched it from her grip. "Are you even listening to me, sis?"

"Hey!" She protested as she snatched for it, but I danced out of her reach before I rolled the magazine up and smacked her on the head with it.

"Watch it little sister," she growled at me. "Or I'll squash you like a bug."

I threw back my head and laughed, despite my crabby mood. Sometimes I wondered if I had Bi-Polar disease because I could switch moods so fast. But I knew that that was impossible. "I'd like to see you try!"

She hissed and launched herself at me, but I spun out of her way and smacked her again with the magazine before I dropped it and raced outside. She followed me into the backyard, just near the tree line, and we engaged in a mock-fight with playful snarls and growls echoing from our throats. Her hands were curled into claws and we danced around each other; swiping and punching, our hands were pulled up like a boxer's in front of our faces, guarding them, despite the fact that we were deliberately trying not to hit each other.

Finally we slowed to a stop in our dance and we sat down on the grass, giggling a bit as we discussed each other's techniques.

One of mine and Rosalie's hobbies was training. Although Rosalie didn't like to wrestle full-on, like I did with Jasper, Emmett and Edward, she did enjoy mock-fights. If she wasn't in the mood, I could get her in the mood by teasing her. For example: _'Hey Rose, scared you will break a nail?' _or _'Don't worry, I'll go find someone who ISN'T a coward.' _In response to that, she would do what she always does when she is pissed off: she would give an angry hiss and swipe at you or if she was too far away, she would throw something at your head.

"The boys will be coming back soon," she noted as we stared up at the sky. It was dark, but we could see the sun lightening in the east.

And then, right on cue, the wind carried the scents of Emmett and Edward across to us. I stood up and watched them come into view from around the shore of the lake.

Emmett was grinning as usual, but Edward looked normal, or as normal as he ever looked these days. His eyes were dark, despite the recent hunt, like they saw without seeing. They were empty of life, like his heart. When he left Bella that eventful day, he left his heart, his soul, and his life with her.

"Shayla, Rosalie," Edward muttered as a greeting before he ran inside.

Emmett paused between Rosalie and I, as we watched our brother run to the house.

"I don't know what to do about him," Emmett said, sadly. "When we were hunting, it was like he wasn't Edward anymore. He just ran, killed, drank, and then did it all over again. It was like he had lost all of the humanity he had gained. It was surreal, it was monstrous, it was, it was… it was like seeing a stranger in Edward's place." He sighed. "I want the old Edward back."

"Em, we all do," I agreed, as I reached up to pat his shoulder with difficulty. Emmett turned around and placed his huge hand on my shoulder.

"Well, now that your back, I feel like going for a hunt," I mentioned as I prepared to run. "Are you coming Rosalie? You look a bit thirsty as well."

Rosalie and Emmett were staring meaningfully at each other. Talk about being sickly sweet. She turned her head away from him. "Now that you mention it, I am quite thirsty," she admitted. "Let's go."

Rosalie didn't like hunting. In fact, she hated it. It made her feel detached from her humanity, more so than any other time during the course of her immortality, and it caused her great pain. I hated to see any of my family in pain, no matter the reason.

I, on the other hand, didn't mind hunting. I knew we had to do it in order to survive. It felt natural and it was a great feeling, letting out all of those contained instincts and setting my inner vampire loose. Just as long as we were feeding on animals, I was fine with it. Survival of the fittest, isn't it?

We took off at a steady jog, racing through the forest. Rosalie broke into a graceful run, making herself go faster, and danced ahead of me.

I forced my legs to move faster too, the ground seemed to fly out from beneath me, and I shot passed her while smirking the entire time. She scowled as we raced each other, neck-and-neck, through the dark woods.

Finally we crossed the scent of a small herd of deer; white-tailed deer to be precise. I groaned loudly when I thought of the movie, _Bambi_. "Damn it, they're Bambi's!" I muttered darkly, more to myself than to my sister.

She smirked a little at that before we found the herd. It was smaller than we first thought, with only six deer making up the herd; two bucks, one older than the other, and four does. We divided them up with a mere glance. Rosalie would take out the younger buck and two of the does while I would take the older male and the remaining females because I was thirstier than her.

We struck quickly. While she attacked her first kill, the young buck, I ran in a circle, herding the frightened animals together. They stood closely together, the big buck trying to protect them as he snorted with anger, stomped his hooves, and tossed his magnificent crown of antlers around. I almost laughed; it was nearly the same as my very first hunting trip, except that time I had been with Jasper and not Rosalie.

I leapt forward and the buck made a cowardly attempt to flee as the wind carried my scent over to him and his instincts kicked in.

I leapt much like a lion attacking a zebra, its teeth bared, claws out and with eyes that glinted with hope. Except that there was no gleam of hope in my eyes. It was a spark of certainty, for I knew I would always get my prey. I crashed down on the deer, sinking my teeth into its neck and grasping it's head in my hands, and put it out of its misery by breaking its neck in one swift motion.

I drained it quickly, leaving only a small bite wound just above its jugular, and I left it where it lie; it truly was a magnificent animal and perhaps a lucky human hunter would like to lay claim to it.

We chased down the remaining deer and I anticipated the right moment to finish them off. I gave a burst of speed just as the deer threatened to disappear into the woods, but I was faster. And when they passed each other at exactly the right moment, I smashed into them and simultaneously broke their necks.

I drained the first easily, the smaller one, before moving on to the larger, groaning with delight as I felt the hot liquid cascade its way down my throat, almost creating euphoric sensation. I tilted my head slightly to the left, allowing for a better angle, as I fed from the older doe, straining to consume every last drop of blood from its veins. I was overly thirsty and needed more and so I suckled from the animal's neck for far longer than was necessary.

Rosalie's hand on my shoulder made me jump. Even though my kill was already drained, I still felt the instinct to defend my prey. I whirled round, snarling, and lurched into a crouch.

Rosalie realized her mistake and held her hands up in defence. "Calm down, Shay, it's only me."

I straightened up and offered her a small smile. "Sorry Rosalie, you just scared me for a second there."

She grinned at me. "My fault, I was just going to ask if you're done. Are you?"

I shrugged. "It'll be enough for now. C'mon, let's run back."

And we raced back through the woods towards our new home.

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***coughreviewcough***


	8. Chapter 8: Brother, my brother

**Hope you enjoy this Shayla. Cute family moments ftw! XD**

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**Chapter 8: Brother, my brother…**

**Shayla's POV**

"I'm leaving."

The words came quick, fast and blunt from Edward, who was sitting nearby on the couch. I raised my head to stare open-mouthed at him from my position on the floor.

We had been watching a movie with the rest of the family. Emmett and Rosalie were leaving in less then a week for their European honeymoon so we were spending some good ol' family bonding time together. Like a true family, I fought, argued and wrestled with Emmett to claim the last remaining armchair and like a typical older brother he had one while I had lost and was now curled up the rug on the floor while my Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie had the armchairs, Alice had claimed the loveseat and was leaning against Jasper's legs as he sat on the long white couch, and Edward was curled up on the other end

"What?" I demanded to know, not sure I had heard him correctly as I started scrambling to stand up. "Why bro?"

Edward ignored me as he too stood up. He turned his head in Carlisle's and Esme's direction. "I have thought about this decision plenty of time and I have decided – I'm leaving. Don't try and stop me." Their mental voices were obviously pleading with him to stay – their faces said it all.

I knew what would happen if Edward tried to leave. He wouldn't be able to help himself. He would go back to Bella and either kill her or change her, which he didn't want to do. Those were Alice's two recent visions. Her visions of Bella hadn't changed one bit since he left her. She would still become a vampire – but not a vegetarian one. This meant that someone, other then us, would change her or leave her. That could not happen; I could make sure of that. But how to do? I quickly buried my plans in my head and made a mental decision to visit my friends -- that would keep Alice happy.

Edward caught the gist of my previous thought. "I will NOT do any of that to her," he spat at me while glaring furiously. "I will NOT damn her to this life! I will stay away from her!"

I didn't want to rest of the family to hear what I was saying next. _How do you know that someone else won't Edward! Alice has seen it and its more inevitable then the sun rising in then east and it setting in the west! And what if you couldn't resist! You just let yourself slip up for one tiny, little second and went to check up on her and BAM, next thing you know she's—_

He didn't let me finish. He growled and threw himself at me, with his fist aimed for my face. I swerved out of the way, despite the fact that I knew it was useless as he could tell when and where I planned to move, and his fist skimmed past my face. I spun around and kicked out at him, aiming for his back, but he spun round, caught my foot in the last second and threw me off balance. I snarled as he pinned me down. I struggled madly, sounding a little like a piglet as my snarls became a little shrill. He kept me pinned despite my efforts so I used a last resort truck to get free. I pulled my lips back and unleashed a horrible, high-pitched squeal, so high that I doubted humans could hear it. Edward reached up to cover his ears, letting out a cry of pain, before I shoved him backwards off the top of me, before kicking backwards and into his stone chest. I didn't turn around, but I heard him hit the opposite wall. I rose from my crouched position and turned to face him.

He whirled and growled angrily at me. I felt the urge to crouch down, to defend but instead, I repressed it. Would I fight to the death, like my instincts were telling me to? No I wouldn't.

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists before folding my arms and standing straight up in front of him. _No Edward. You're my brother and I will not fight you like that. You know I'm right and that's that._

He glared balefully at me. "You think you're right Shayla but in reality you're wrong," he spat out through his clenched teeth.

"Hah! I think not," I countered, growling a little at him.

Carlisle stepped in then. He must have said something mentally to Edward because Edward removed his fierce look from me before storming outside, Carlisle on his heels.

All of my family's faces flashed toward my one. I then realised I was staring after my retreating father and brother's back, scowling slightly at Edward's words.

"You shouldn't antagonise him like that Shayla," Alice spoke first, her bell like voice tinkling with disapproval.

I turned my head slightly, and looked at her. "Alice, c'mon, you of all people know that I'm right. We all know what's going to happen."

Rosalie flipped her hair over her shoulder. "He won't," she said quite rudely. "Even I know that. When Edward wants to, or in this case, _doesn't_ want to do something, he will do everything in his power to do just that."

I gritted my teeth in frustration. I knew I was being horribly stubborn and obnoxious, but I knew what would happen with my brother. I wasn't stupid. I opened my mouth to respond but I couldn't get any further.

"Let's just wait and see what he does," Esme said, cutting between me and Rosalie's glares at each other. "Carlisle will sort this out with him."

And so we waited. Alice moved up from the loveseat to perch in Jasper's lap while Esme busied herself by quickly dashing to Carlisle's study to find herself a huge book to read. I turned the TV back on to some old sitcom, which I soon realised was _Bewitched_, a show I had loved back when it was first made and when I was younger.

Eventually, Edward and Carlisle returned. I hit the off button on the remote before moving to sit on the unoccupied armchair. Esme stood by me, her hands resting on my shoulder as I looked up at Edward's grim face. I could tell that is wasn't good news.

Edward turned his face towards mine. "It's for the best," he said softly. "Believe me Shayla, if there was a better way, I would take it."

I tilted my head to the side, as I ignored the rest of my family who was not focusing entirely on our conservation, or at least the half they could hear. _Where will you go bro?_

He shrugged. "I'm not sure where to start but there is a certain vampire I really need to check up on. One who would want revenge on us. One whose tie I had not seen before. One whose existence needs to end very, very soon." His eyes flashed while he spoke and his lips curled back into a vicious growl.

I frowned. Who could he be referring too? He said they were a vampire… I started rattling off names in my head, searching every memory I had of nomads or friends, watching as Edward shook his head at every one.

That was until I got to the memory of the baseball night. That was the night where we met James and his coven. The night where Bella was with us, watching as we slammed balls into the sky, and soon, she had become the goal in a cruel game of hunting.

James was dead and I was sure that Laurent wouldn't be running around either. He seemed pretty tied down by Irina. But there was a third vampire, a female with a starling amount of tangled, fire-red hair.

"Victoria," I managed to gasp out loud. "Edward… you're going to attempt to track Victoria? What had she got to do with any of this?"

"I caught her thoughts while she was still hanging around," he growled out. "She wants revenge. Mate for mate. Bella Swan will live. Victoria will not touch her. I'll track her and then end it all for her."

Esme looked worried as frantically glanced between us. "Edward, you do whatever you have to do. Whatever happens we love you." I knew that it must have been hard for her to say that – she didn't want Edward to leave, no one did. Even Rosalie looked unhappy, her inhumane beautiful face troubled as she embraced Emmett. Emmett looked worried and Jasper's face was calm, emotionless, just like Carlisle's. Alice's was blank – she must be scanning Edward's future, trying to find anything that would help him.

"You should travel humanly at first, and then try and get a lead somewhere," Jasper recommended, giving advice. "Try starting around Forks, that's where we know she was last."

"But don't go anywhere near Bella," Rosalie cut in. "She's bad news Edward, I'm being serious. Don't let her back into our life."

"I know Rosalie, I know," Edward replied back coldly. "We've done enough damage." He turned to Alice. "And don't go looking for either."

Alice huffed. "Just because I won't look doesn't' mean I won't _see_." She emphasised the last word.

Edward glared at her. "Just don't. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really have to start packing."

He stomped up the stars all the way to his penthouse. He slammed the door so hard, that the old house shook on its foundation.

I sighed. "Sometimes I worry about that boy. This isn't the greatest idea that he has had."

"He'll be fine Shayla," Carlisle soothed as he put an arm awkwardly around my shoulders.

"I know," I admitted. "But I'm just worried about him… and her as well."

"Oh, she'll get what's coming for her," Emmett laughed, still in his personality to find humour in any grim situation. "I hope he gets her good."

I shook my teeth in frustration. "I wasn't talking about Victoria Em, I'm worried about Bella."

No one responded to that, probably because they didn't know how. Carlisle rose and he headed up to his study, probably to do some paperwork. Esme went up to talk to Edward, Emmett and Rosalie retreated to their room (I seriously didn't want to know what they were doing) while Alice and Jasper went out into the woods, hunting.

Edward carted his suitcase down about an hour later. I went and called Jasper but before I could even get the 'Get home now' message out, Alice took the phone and told me that they would be there in ten minutes. I had sighed and then growled rather irritably at her, "Sometimes you can be down-right annoying, you know that?"

I heard a distinct giggle when I snapped the phone shut, grinning a little, as Carlisle and Edward prepared to leave. Carlisle was driving Edward to the train station in his Mercedes, where Edward would head to Seattle, and start his journey there.

We gathered outside as Carlisle backed out of the garage. Edward seemed impatient, eager to go.

_So eager to go bro, are we really that terrible to live with? _I joked, trying to lighten the situation. It worked; he cracked a smile and chuckled quietly, earning a curious look from Emmett.

Edward took his time with the each of us, shaking hands with his brothers and father, and allowing the girls to hug him – even Rosalie. Esme looked close to crying, if she could, as she squeezed Edward tight.

He left me to last. "I'm going to miss you buddy," I whispered to him. "Promise me that you'll visit or call, or whatever. Just keep in touch Edward. I will miss you in an insane, weird way."

His cold eyes softened at my little speech. "I will miss you too Shay. Even though you can be such a pain sometimes."

I laughed in response. "That's how I roll bro, that's how I roll."

He reached out and pulled him to me, as I embraced him. I wrapped my arms around his waist as I laid my face against his chest. _Will miss you heaps._

He kissed my forehead. "As I'll miss you."

_Brother, my brother, tell me what are we fighting for? Isn't life worth so much more? We should love one another; can't we just pretend this war never began? We can try… Brother, my brother. _I sang in my head, as we stood. He needed to know how sorry I was, for causing this whole mess.

"I forgive you," he whispered before he moved swiftly to the car and got in the passenger side as Carlisle hoped in the drivers seat.

They pulled out of the driveway quickly, waving to us, and I stood there for a long time, watching and waiting as I hoped my brother would return.

Someday he would. I knew that in my heart. Someday.

But the big question was though, when was 'Someday' going to arrive?

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**:'(, Edward left.**


	9. Chapter 9: Running back

**Two updates in one night, hm? :P**

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**Chapter 9: Running back**

**Shayla's POV**

After Edward's departure, it was all quiet in the Cullen household. Emmett and Rosalie left for Europe soon after Edward's departure and they would be back in time for Christmas. In the Cornell spring break, we were going to Denali for a holiday. I hadn't told them Laurent was up there.

Carlisle's shifts increased in length, spanning for hours on end as he tried to co-ordinate between teaching and being at the hospital.

Alice and Jasper went on a road-trip a few days ago, as Alice tracked down her old asylum and cemetery where she was buried. She had discovered her real name and 'death' but she was still pretty upset about it, so I hadn't had a chance to ask her anything. She'd taken off hunting with Esme as soon as she returned.

So, before Alice and Jasper came back, it was just me and Esme in the house. I spent my lazy days watching TV, playing video games, reading, listening to music and running out in the woods. I would always return from running every few hours to check up on Esme. I couldn't leave her alone for long; she would go crazy from loneliness.

And I felt lonely too. Not just lonely, also stir-crazy. I need to do something… rebellious, adventurous, crazy…

But what was the question? I could see if I could track Edward down and help him follow Victoria… but I knew he wouldn't accept my help.

As I was thinking of this, I wandered to the back room and stared out the glass door and across the lake, with the early morning sun gleaming off the surface. A flock of water birds rose from on the horizon and took off into the sky, flapping their wings madly and screeching out their cries madly.

I wondered how Edward was doing. Had he reached Forks in time? Had he picked up Victoria's trail? And more importantly, to me at least, had he seen Bella?

I gasped in realization as a thought occurred to me. Edward wouldn't be in Forks, he would have tried to avoid there, but if I went there, to check up, there was no harm in that right?

I had remembered my mental note to check up on Bella from earlier. I giggled with glee as I began to formulate a plan. I needed to run, if would be a lot quicker and I could travel more distance. Stick to the trees, pack a bag with a few belongings, stay at home, check up on her and then be back home before Edward could figure out what I've done.

I raced upstairs and threw open my closet. I stepped inside and rummaged through one of the drawers to pull out a sturdy backpack. I grabbed a few spare shirts, a pair of jeans and a spare pair of skate shoes, just in case I needed to go public. My cell phone went in my pocket while I also snatched my wallet with cash, I.D and a driver's license – both for a motorbike and a car. I paused as I turned to dash out the door as I spotted some things on my bedside table.

The first thing was a flat-billed cap. I smiled slightly, remembering when Emmett bought it for me.

"_Now you can be awesome like me," he had crowed out, pointing at his own, before pushing it on my head, messing up my hair a tad. "Yeah, go sis!"_

I grabbed it and pushed it on my head, pulling my hair out of its ponytail, and pushing all the loose hair from around my face.

The second item was a family photograph. I smiled at it fondly, before putting it in the pack. I needed something to remind of them didn't I? Not that I could ever forget them. I loved them way too much to ever do that.

I turned and raced out the door, into the woods, and on my way back to Forks.

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Alice's POV

After coming back from Boston, I immediately went hunting from Esme. She, at first, tried to ask about my findings but before she could even get the words out, I had cut her off. "Esme, please, I don't want to talk about it. Not just yet anyway." She had kept quiet after that.

After tackling my second deer for that morning, I waited patiently under a tree, until Esme had finished with her elk. But then I gasped out loud when a vision hit me at an astonishing speed.

_Shayla ran, at a somewhat fast speed that could be only kept up with a pack on her back, occasionally leaping up tall trees and crossing deserted roads. She paused by a sign, before following the road that lead into the town beyond._

_The sign said FORKS._

"No!" I half-yelled out, making Esme jerk her head up in surprise. Her eyes widened in shock before she dashed towards me, leaving her kill exposed and half-finished.

"Alice? Alice! What is it? Talk to me," she demanded. "What's happening, who is it?"

I held a hand to my throat as I tried to see. Shayla's future did not stray; she still went straight on towards Forks.

"Shayla," I managed to chock out. "She's going back to Forks. Why I don't know but we have to get to her before it's too late!"

Esme didn't question my vision but turned and sprinted back across the plains, her white dress billowing out behind her, the early sunlight making it seem eerie, ghost-like even. She was always faster then me; it might have something to do with the fact that she was taller then me by a foot. But not being the fastest didn't bother me, I had the advantage with my clairvoyance ability.

I raced after, pounding my short legs as fast as I could, keeping up with Esme as she ran. I was not necessarily fast, but graceful and so, we reached the house in no time at all.

But it was empty. "No!" I cried out as I tore into her room. I saw that her favourite cap, and the family photograph that she kept on her bedside table, was gone.

Esme followed me in and searched the closet furiously. "Some of her clothes are gone!" she called out. "I've got a trail of her scent here too!"

Together we raced back through the house to follow Shayla's distinct, musky scent. We stopped short as we entered the front yard. There she stood, halfway through flinging herself through the trees. She half-turned, caught both our eyes and mouthed, "Sorry…" before she zipped away into the eternal darkness.

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Shayla's POV

I knew they had seen me; after all I had let them. As soon as I heard Alice tear into the house, screaming out for me, I had paused up the tree I was in, waiting until my mother and sister burst out, still yelling out for me. I stared directly at them, mouthing an apology, before I flung myself away and into the darkness.

I had kept running through the woods, using my knowledge on the United States to tell where I was. I was out of the state of New York by midday and kept running. When the woods began to thin a little and turn into mountains, nevertheless I embraced them and chugged up them, occasionally leaping onto on all fours, moving as swiftly and quickly as I could up the steep slopes, my body as agile and lean as a mountain lion.

I hit the Olympic Range by sundown and I paused to gather my bearings as I leapt onto an outcrop of rocks atop the mountaintop, my hands clutched onto the higher-placed piece of brittle bolder in front of me, my legs stretched out behind me onto the more solid rock. I tilted my head to the side as I surveyed the memorable landscape, spying the dark woods, the all-too-familiar baseball field where we once ran, leapt, wrestled and played together. And then, a bit further back, the town of Forks, its few dim lights twinkling at me, and the La Push reservation slightly to the side, a bonfire set up on the coastline. Where they really still celebrating our departure?

I sniffed, smelling only clean air, salt water and other natural scents before I galloped down the mountainside, hitting the woods in only a few minutes, before I came to the clearing. Our clearing. The Cullen clearing.

I walked across it, slowing as I passed where the faint marking of our baseball diamond lay. My family's scent was still strong where the dirt trails ran as well as all over the boulders we used as a spectator 'stand'. I sat on it and ran my hands over the course rock, feeling it came off in tiny shards of stone as they came into contact with my granite hands. I lifted them and held them close to my face, sniffing slightly as I inhaled the faint yet distinct scent of my family.

I sighed sadly before rising to my feet and jogging off in the direction of home. The year-old scent of the nomads, James, Victoria and Laurent, touched my nostrils, but I shook it off and kept running.

Soon, when the sun was almost finished it's decent into the horizon, I reached the old, white mansion-like house we had grown to love as our home. Remembering that the upstairs windows were unlocked, I sprang up one of the cedars, as light and silently as a cat. I inched open the creaky window before I leapt into the hallway.

The place was covered in dust, and every time I put my foot down, it sent tiny particles flying into the air, almost invisible to a human's, but very much visible to mine.

I walked slowly down the hallway, as I pushed doors of rooms' half-open, to peek inside them. Plain, white sheets covered all of the furniture, most of which we had left behind. I entered Carlisle's study and looked around at the emptiness of it. Perhaps coming back wasn't such a good idea… maybe I should leave.

NO, I scolded myself. I had come this far, no need to be a chicken and back out. I will control myself and stay. I am not a coward. I will not run away.

I dumped my backpack downstairs, where I will be spending the majority of my time, before I unlocked the front door. It was safe to do so and leave, even if the house was empty for hours. Hardly any humans knew where our house was located and, apart from the occasional nomad, we hardly ram into our own kind. Anyone who picked the scent of our entire family, our unusually large collection of scents would scare them off. We were the largest coven, apart from the Volturi, and the Australian coven (also known as my friends).

I decided that I wasn't going to see Bella tonight. I needed to clear my head. I went upstairs to the bathroom and had a warm, soothing shower, as the hot water ran over my tense muscles, making them loosen up.

As soon I was done, I headed back downstairs, towelling my hair dry, before I picked up the remote and switched the TV on. It was late, and there was nothing but a few late night crime shows, and humans trying to sell products no one would ever need, on. But yet, still, I threw my towel onto the banister of the staircase, and flopped down on the couch, staring at the TV with disinterest as I changed the channels at superhuman speed, trying to find something that was worth watching.

All of a sudden, my phone went off. Before it could even get to the third line of _Starstruck_, it was on my ear. "Hey." I needn't to glace at the screen to see who it was.

"Shayla Cullen…" My fathers disapproved voice came out of the phone as I sat up quickly. "Imagine my shock when I came home from the hospital to find Alice and Esme deeply upset and that you had run away!"

If he was trying to make me feel guilty, he was doing a mighty good job. Even though my father was a kind and compassionate man, when we did something wrong, we had to be punished. Not physically but groundings, chores… whatever was appropriate.

I might as well get the apology out straight away. "I'm sorry Dad, but… but I had to go. I knew you wouldn't all understand so I had to get out of there as fast as I could without anyone knowing. A snap decision."

"You could have talked to me about," he replied. "I could have –"

"Would you have let me go though?" I demanded to know.

There was a brief silence from his end. "No, I wouldn't have," he admitted. "But really Shayla, did you expect me to? Despite your vampire age, you are still like a child to Esme and I."

I growled quietly into the phone as I heard him switch to speaker phone and place it down on a solid surface. The rest of the family was probably listening in on this, not that it mattered.

"I am NOT a child Carlisle; I can make my own decisions for myself!" I snarled into the phone.

I heard Esme speak next. "Shayla, we are only worried about you. Please, please, _please,_ come home!" she pleaded.

I scowled to myself before I inhaled and spoke back to her. "I will Mom, just… just not yet."

I heard her sigh sadly as I heard Alice ask for the phone. What I was prepared for though, was her voice blaring out of the phone.

"Shayla Kara Cullen! Imagine how worried I was when I saw a vision f you running away! And our shock when we couldn't stop you!" She stopped to take a breath.

"Alice, I'm really sorry," I said quickly back to her, before she could get her next words out. "But I needed to do this."

"She has been out of her mind with worry," Jasper interrupted.

I growled at him before I continued on, speaking more directly to the family now. "I ask that you all do not worry about me. I'll be fine."

"Did you even look at the date before you left?" Esme whispered to me through the phone. "It's the twenty-third of December Shayla. Hadn't you noticed me getting the house ready for Christmas? Emmett and Rosalie were meant to be flying in today."

Shit, had time really passed by that fast? I had noticed the decorations Esme had put up but when I made my decision to leave, all memory of the date was obliterated from my mind.

"I'm sorry Mom, I… I didn't think of the date… I'm so sorry." I took a moment to collect my thoughts before I continued on "Listen, I'll be back soon after Christmas, a week, a week-and-a-half at the max. I won't be gone for long and Alice… don't look for me. Please."

"Fine," I heard huff unhappily. I heard Jasper whisper things to her which I couldn't hear.

"I have to go now," I continued. "Bye, I love you all."

They had barely any time to say goodbye to me before I snapped the phone shut and threw myself backwards onto the couch in frustration.

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**The Cullens are officially split :(**


	10. Chapter 10: What have I done!

**This chapter is really depressing for both Shayla and Bella. You've been warned.**

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**Chapter 10: What have I done?!**

**Shayla's POV**

I formulated my plan of 'attack', a.k.a go see how Bella is holding up, the day after my heated phone conversation with Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Jasper. I would go at night, very late, so the chance of her not being awake would almost be guaranteed. I could not risk getting caught, by her or her police chief father. I was pretty sure that this wouldn't go down too well with him. I didn't want to get arrested and thrown in jail in something.

And so, I finally worked up the courage to go check up on her on the twenty-fifth of December: Christmas Day. Not the greatest day to go do my task, I admit, but I promised Mom that I would be back in a week, and that week was almost up. I needed to do this and I needed to do it now.

I changed into a tan button-down shirt and jeans; the kind a back-packer or hiker might wear, and I wore my hair down, for mere connivance really, no hat on today. I went barefoot, so my shoes wouldn't get ripped off when my feet morphed, if they did that is. I was getting more controlled with it nowadays but still… if I got angry enough, it would happen. But, like said, I could control it better. And going without shoes was a lot more convenient as well too.

I set off towards the main part of Forks as soon as the sun had finished its descent into the horizon. I stuck to the woods, silently thanking the Lord for surrounding Forks with such thick forests, that no reasonably intelligent human could ever think to wander in. Especially since there was a significant population of vampires frequently hunting the animals there.

I had never been to Bella Swan's house before so I had no clue where it was, but I knew where Charlie Swan's work was: the police station in downtown Forks. Fortunately by mere chance, he was leaving there when I arrived to follow his cruiser home, so I didn't happen to wait. Where there had been dense trees to hide me, I stuck to them sprinting flat-out, sometimes moving faster then the car could move. And when the trees thinned, I slowed to human walking speed and casually followed the cruiser, as Charlie drove slower then normal through the dark, rainy streets.

When he reached his house, I immediately darted into the woods and stayed there until I heard the lights click off in the Swan household. I had heard Charlie talking, but no whisper of sound from Bella apart from a 'yes' or a 'no' to every question Charlie asked. She was cooking, steak by the smell of it. When they had eaten, Charlie had tried his best to communicate with Bella but she only replied with one word answers.

I couldn't see them but the sound of Bella's voice told me enough. Bella was dead.

Not physically dead, but she was broken, depressed, gone… she wasn't Bella Swan anymore. When Edward had left her, he had taken part of her soul.

But yet at the same time, ironically, she had taken, or more correctly he had left, a proportion of his soul with her.

To get inside, I crept around to the front yard, keeping as low as I could to the ground before I came to a huge tree that grew right up in front of the house, blocking some windows from view. I touched it and immediately, smelled my brother's scent. It too was old, but only by a couple of months, dating back to September, I concluded. That was the month for when he left Bella.

I climbed up the tree easily, before I reached a wide branch. I kept low on it like a lynx as I slinked towards the closest open window. It was dark inside but with my keen eyesight, I could see through it easily. I saw nothing but a plain, dark wall though.

The branch I was standing on was still a few feet away from the window and so, I carefully jumped and landed with barely any jolt on the windowsill. I lifted the window easily with one hand; testing it first for noise, which it did, squeaking noisily in the old frame, but I ignored it and kept on going, pushing it up all the way.

I slid into Bella Swan's room, and as I entered, I paused to survey her room.

An oldish computer was sitting on a plain desk surrounded by a few books. She was into the classics, no Harry Potter, no Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants… she had quite good taste. There were a few Shakespearean titles but to my extreme relief, there was no Romeo and Juliet. That was what I felt until I caught sight of a hardbound copy on her bedside table. I cursed myself silently, Bella was into all of that gooey, romantic shit. Yuck.

Wait, what was I doing? Why was I analysing her books when I needed to see her?

I turned around to see her in bed. She wore sweatpants and a ragged grey t-shirt with holes all through it, and she lay curled up in the foetus position, curled up on her side. I could see her dark mahogany hair, which I now noticed was a very similar shade to mine, was wet and stuck to her face as she slept.

There was something different about her. _Way_ different. I didn't notice until I silently walked around to the side of her bed.

She looked pale, almost as pale as I. She looked skinny, a bit too skinny for someone of her age and weight. Her skin was stretched tight over her cheeks and beneath her closed eyes, dark shadows that indicated restless nights of sleep were present. She hugged her stomach tightly, like she had to hold herself together.

"Oh god Bells," I murmured, as I fell to my knees beside her. She shifted slightly, and shuffled towards me a bit, as though it was like she had heard me. I raised a hand and went to reach out towards her but I stopped suddenly when she began to sleep talk.

"No… Please… Don't! Stay… Edward, stay! Don't leave me... No!"

Her words were mumbled, confused, and they rang with despair. I went to grasp her hand, to tell her it was all going okay before she opened her mouth and screamed.

Not a normal hight-pitched scream, but a horrifying, bloodcurdling, halfway-through-transforming scream. She writhed in her bed, and to my extreme terror, she tugged a pillow to her face and held it there, muffling her screams but barely.

As I kneeled there, my mouth fell open in absolute horror, a though occurred to me. Where the hell was Charlie? Why was he laying in bed, possibly awake, listening to his only daughter screamed her lungs out over my brother?

Soon, after a few minutes, I heard Charlie's bed next-door squeak as his snores suddenly cut out and as he sat up in bed. Bella's screams cut out as on cue, and were replaced by horrible, gut-wrenching sobs. Her closed eyes were now screwed up as tears leaked out of them and down her bony cheeks.

I wanted to do something but I couldn't. I wanted to hold her tight and tell her in was okay while she cried. I wanted to go race after my son-of-a-bitch brother and kick his ass into next century for doing this to her. This alone was the most gut-wrenching, saddest, heart-breaking scene that I have ever seen. No movie, book or song could recreate the sight I saw before me.

And then, I felt my chest rock with a sob as her pain began to affect me. I held my face in my hands, trying to stop myself but I couldn't hold it all in. I fled the room.

I bounded out the window just as I heard Bella wrench herself awake, just as my legs disappeared out the window. I paused in the tree and peaked inside as Bella sat up in her bed, panting like she had just ran a marathon, or had just experiences a horrible nightmare. Seeing what I had just witnessed, I didn't need to be a genius to figure out that she was having nightmares, absolutely horrifying nightmares.

And it was all my fault.

If I was stronger, if had been able to hold Jasper back and contain my insane bloodlust, I wouldn't be here, perched in a tree, watching Bella fall back to sleep sobbing. I would be at home, with all of my family, and Edward would be with us.

All my fault... oh, dear God what have I done?!

I raced home. My family needed to know about this. They all did… Alice was going to kill me, not just for running away but for what I have caused… Dear Gold, they are all going to hate me!

As soon as I reached the house, a few minutes past midnight, I grabbed all of my stuff, whirring around the house faster then the Tazzie Devil, I raced out of it, heading back towards my new home, all the way in Ithaca, thinking hard.

Why? Why oh Lord wasn't I strong? Why wasn't I strong like Esme, or Rosalie, or Alice, who all had near perfect records, unlike me? Why did I have to be the weakest link, the first of the chain to snap off when the weight got too heavy? Why?!

The whole time I ran, rumbles of grief where emitting from my chest, making me sound like an angry warthog but I didn't care.

I kept on forcing myself to go faster and by the time I had reached the boundaries of Ithaca, the sun had risen above the horizon by a small fraction. Every time Bella's pale face swam to the front of my mind, I pushed it back, trying to think of my family and when I would be seeing them again.

But eventually, the pain I had felt in Bella's room took hold of me and it felt like I was drowning, like it was dragging me down into blackness, into absolute despair.

I stopped and leant against a tree, when I was a few miles from home, before I fell to my knees onto the forest floor. I sat there and cried, dry sobs rocking my body as I unwillingly recalled the memory of Bella sleep talking, screaming out, and panting out loudly as she woke up from her nightmares.

Even as the sun rose, I didn't move but instead shifted to a curled up position, with my arms wrapped around my legs and my chin resting on my knees.

I couldn't go home, how would I explain what I have caused to my family? And at the same time, I couldn't go anywhere else. My family was everything that I have had. Only once had I left them for a prolonged period of time and that was for a year. Other times… they were just a day or two.

And so I just sat there, lost and confused.

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Jasper's POV

I had been downstairs, helping Esme clean up on the Christmas wrappers when I came across a small pile shoved in the corner under the tree. Curious, I brought them forward.

Christmas wasn't a really big thing for us. Before I had even met Alice, I didn't even acknowledge that the day had passed. When we had first joined the Cullen's, they showered us with more gifts then the others, to Rosalie's annoyance, but now, we received the normal amount and gave out more then we intended, especially to Rosalie. Rose just _loved_ to get presents.

I picked up the tag of the first present, one that looked like it could be a video game. _To Shayla, love Carlisle and Esme, _it read. I picked up a small container beside it, one that could contain jewellery of some kind. _Shayla, love Alice xoxo, _it said.

These were Shayla's presets. I missed my little sister a lot. Although Rosalie and I got on extremely well, it was Shayla who was my favourite sister. We had bonded over her very first hunt, and as her immortal years past, we grew closer and closer. Alice was never jealous: she understood. It was like her relationship with Edward, one I was never jealous of. I understood. We both understood each other. That's why I loved her so much.

Upstairs, I could here my Alice humming away as she put her presents away, which included a mountain load of clothes, and then, out of no where, she gasped, like she had an extraordinary vision.

I expected sadness, worry or even frustration radiating from her but instead I fel joy, nothing but joy. She laughed and raced to the top of the stairs.

"Jazz!" she called. "Shayla's coming home!"

She laughed as she ran to Emmett and Rosalie's bedroom who both emerged when she banged on the door. Annoyance and irritation emitted from them both until they both heard her words: Shayla's coming home.

Emmett whooped as he picked up Alice and hugged her, swinging her in a circle, laughing madly with her. All I felt was joy, happiness and surprise radiating from my family as Esme and Carlisle came up, both beaming.

I couldn't help it, I grinned widely. Shayla was coming home… who cared about the reason, all we cared about was the fact that she was coming home!

We were all happy but then Alice stopped, her joy turned into confusion, and then heartbreak. She stood still as I came towards her and pulled her towards me.

"Alice?" I asked cautiously as she stared off into space. "What is it? What do you see?"

She didn't say anything, but horror and shock tumbled off of her. I felt them affect me, but I reeled them in and started to radiate calm as I felt everyone else around me start to panic. They relaxed as it hit them.

Alice was upset about her vision. I didn't know what it was but I knew I had to comfort her. I pulled her closer to me and wrapped my arms around her. "Hey, hey, it'll be alright Alice, just tell us what you saw," I said softly, trying to calm her down. It worked and she relaxed. She then began to speak quickly.

"Shayla changed her mind. She's not coming home, but she's not going anywhere else. She's deeply upset about something…" She paused as she still scanned the future. "I know where she is… and I'm going to go get her and bring her home – now."

"I'm in!" Emmett boomed. "Let's go!"

"Maybe a few of us should only go…" Rosalie mused. "I'll go with Emmett."

Alice looked mad. "But I –"

Carlisle cut her off. "No Alice, send Rosalie and Emmett. It might turn out well."

Alice nodded her head. "I understand. And it will turn out well. I have seen it. Go Emmett, go Rosalie. And go quickly. She's on the outskirts, near a river. Just go north until you pick up her trail. And stay downwind so she won't smell you and run off."

Nodding to her words, my brother and sister quickly sprinted out into the dark woods, to go find Shayla.


	11. Chapter 11: Broken promises

**Another update :) Bot short this chapt but still enjoy :D**

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Chapter 11: Broken promises

**Shayla's POV**

The deer fled nosily as I darted after them, ready to catch one as my prey. They were a small herd, with about ten of the slim creatures, and all but three of them were mothers with fawns. I did not count the fawns as part of the herd. I would let them live, to continue the population and to not let the amount of deer get too low. I never hunted anything that had young with it. I would be taking their mother away, just like mine had been taken away, not due to my kind but to sickness, one which I had never found out what it was. Everyone, animal, human or vampire, deserved to have a mother. Who was I to take away that right? I refused to play God.

As I easily caught up to the biggest doe, I leapt, flipped and landed on it, feet-first, with my toe-claws digging into its skin, before I gripped it's neck with my hands and pulled. It let out a shriek of pain as its pelvis shattered underneath my weight and as its neck snapped. I jumped off before it fell and landed crouched beside it. I drained it quickly, neatly cutting its jugular in two, temporally soothing the ever-present burn in my throat, before I picked up the body and carried it over to some bushes, to hide it. I deliberately left a few drops of blood on the bushes, to attract animal predators that would, hopefully, eat the flesh and avoid arousing suspicion to any human hunters that may pass by.

I hunted the remaining deer, taking the two without fawns and let the rest flee away from me. I sighed sadly and walked to the river to wash my hands and face.

And that's when I saw them. I heard their footfalls at first and when I jerked my head up, I saw the solid form of Emmett, and the beautiful body of Rosalie, jogging towards me.

"Rosalie, Emmett," I breathed as they both came closer to me. Emmett's usually joyful face was serious for once, and Rosalie's had a pained expression. When she came closer, she threw herself at me. Emmett smiled a little and let out a low chuckle.

"Hey! Ow, what the hell?! Rosalie…" I complained as she hugged me tight to her tall form.

"Don't you ever, ever do that to us again!" she snarled, thumping me on the head with the palm of her hand, despite the fact that she was hugging me. I winched, and held up my arm in defence. "How could you Shayla! I ought to…"

"You ought to shut your trap," I snapped back as I stepped out of the way of her blows. "I don't want to hear it. I came back for Esme and Carlisle, and Alice and Jazz, not to be revved by you for my choice!"

Emmett stepped between us before Rosalie could respond to my harsh words. "C'mon Shay, just come home with us. Please," he pleaded. "We all miss you heaps." He offered me his hand and I stared at it.

But I knew I couldn't stay out here forever – I had to go back sometime. Was I wanted back though? I had, after all, run off away from my family for the second time in two years. One was a year, the other, a few days. I went to take it but hesitated.

Emmett, tired of my uncertainty, grabbed me and forced me onto his back in a piggyback position. I protested but he clamped my arms around his neck and took off, Rosalie by his side. I clung to him tighter then a backpack.

Emmett ran as fast as he could with me on his back, which was his normal seed as his super-strength helped a fair bit, and we reached home in hardly any times at all. I looked up at the old house, smiling slightly as I hopped down off my brother's back. I stood on my tippee-toes to kiss him on the cheek before whispering in his ear, "Thanks." He grinned in response.

I walked inside to the back room, just as Esme and Carlisle, followed by Jasper and Alice, came downstairs.

"Mom!" I cried as I ran towards her and embraced her in a huge hug. She hugged me back and laughed softly as I refused to let her go. "I'm so, so, so sorry Mom! I never should have left, I should have stayed, I –"

"Shh Shayla," she whispered to me. "It's all okay. You have nothing to apologise for. You did what you thought what was right. That's nothing to be sorry for. I forgive you."

I let go and stood back away from her. "At least one of you does," I mumbled.

Carlisle moved towards me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I forgive you Shayla," he informed me. "We all do."

Alice didn't look unhappy with me. She looked positively thrilled as she flitted down the stairs and embraced me in a hug before kissing my cheek. "I wasn't really mad at you," she explained to my confusion. "Just sick to death with worry!" She laughed and we all laughed with her.

We all moved into the living room where they all sat down on the chairs, Carlisle standing with his hands on Esme's shoulders as she sat in an armchair, Jasper in another armchair with Jasper, and Rosalie and Emmett spread across the couch. I stood in front of them.

"Are you going to tell us where you have been Shay?" Emmett asked me from his sprawled out position on the couch with Rosalie's head in his lap.

I paused, wondering. They didn't know where I had been, and I was sure that they wouldn't take too kindly to the thought. I suspected Alice had a good idea, but I was sure that she had only that. Once I made the decision to speak, she would see what I would say and figure the rest out.

No point hiding it then. "Well…" I started, glancing nervously between my family. "I went back to Forks a few days ago as some of you may, or may not know." I ignored Rosalie's furious gaze at me as I turned my head away so I couldn't see her. "And I went to check up on Bella."

I ignored all their looks of surprise and Rosalie's one of fury. I took a deep breath before I continued on.

"She was asleep when I checked up on her and…" I paused and gulped, remembering what I had seen that night. "And, I swear to god, I have never seen anything, or _anyone_ like her."

"She was fine at first but then she began to sleep talk. Something about Edward not going, and with her wanting him to stay. She began to scream then, horrifying, terror-filled screams. I have never felt more helpless in my life. I managed to get out of there when she pulled herself awake, looking like she just had a nightmare."

They were all staring at me when I continued on.

"She looked absolutely horrible too. Skinny, pale… she looked like she was eating, but not quite enough. Though it's like she took a piece of Edward's soul, it is actually Edward who took a portion of hers. In my thirty-eight years, I have never seen anything more heartbreaking then this…" I finished my story and waited for their reaction.

Carlisle spoke first. "It almost sounds like she's suffering from some kind of depression."

Alice let out a whimper. "I have to go back; I have to go help her!" She leapt off Jasper's lap and ran to the door.

I caught her on the arm before she could escape. "Alice you can't," I told her. "What I did was wrong and I shouldn't have done it. What's going to happen when Edward finds out? He's going to rip me apart, put me back together, rip me apart _again_ and then burn the pieces!"

"Let go of me Shayla!" Alice snarled at me, her usually petite face screwed up into a gruesome grimace as she struggled to escape my iron hold on her arm.

Jasper stepped in then. He took the struggling Alice from my grip and she surrendered to his embrace. He soothed her as she began to sob into his shirt.

"It's not fair," she cried. "Why does she have to suffer so much?"

Rosalie rose from the couch and stalked out of the room, glaring mercilessly at me. I bared my teeth at her, a warning and a threat in one expression. _Don't you dare blame me Rosalie Hale! _

Emmett glanced between the sobbing Alice, now being comforted by Esme with Jasper hovering protectively over them both, and his retreating wife's form. He meekly mouthed a "_Sorry!_" before he ran after her. I heard the backdoor being slammed open before it fell with a crash off its hinges. Though Emmett was much more likely to do such a thing, I suspected that the very greatly irritated Rosalie had.

I sighed. "Rosalie's not very happy with me, is she?"

Jasper looked up at my words. He hesitated before answering. "She… she wasn't happy that you went back to Forks. 'Why can _she _go back, while we have to stay away from _her_!?'" He imitated Rosalie's irritated tone perfectly with his voice. "She was angry that while we all promised to stay away from Forks, that you could go off whenever you pleased!"

"Hang on!" I interrupted. "I never promised anything! You all did without me, while I was gone, and the only thing I could do was agree! I never got a say in any of it! It was completely unfair!"

Carlisle looked unhappy. "Shayla, you had a choice. Everyone has a choice, you could have —"

"Stayed in Forks, all by myself?!" I snapped back, finishing his sentence. "Yeah right, like your precious_ Edward…" _– _I_ sneered my brother's name– "Would've let me! I hate this! And I hate living here! It doesn't even feel like we're a family anymore, it feels like a bloody coven! And I want it fixed!"

"Shayla…" Carlisle then warned, knowing that a temper tantrum from me was probably coming. I ignored him and went to continue my rant but then, my anger faded out to be replaced by calmness.

"I've said this before, and I'll say again," I whisper furiously, though without anger, to Jasper. "Damn your gift!"

He grinned briefly for a second before I gave a low growl at him. Alice, having recovered from her upset over Bella's news, turned to glare at me. "Don't Shayla; you know he's only trying to help."

I wanted to argue back but all the emotions, all the mixed feelings that I had been holding in since my return overwhelmed me, I sunk to my knees and held my face in my hands.

Esme was beside me, kneeling down as she wrapped her arms around me. I sobbed in her embrace.

"It's, j-j-just n-n-not fair!" I sobbed. "I d-d-didn't want t-t-is to happen! I'm s-s-so sorry!" I cried out dry sobs as Esme took me in her arms, picked me up and carried me to the couch. I heard Jasper and Alice leave the room, as Carlisle sat on the side of Esme where she held me in her lap, rubbing circles on my back as I chocked out embarrassing dry sobs.

"Shh, Shayla, shh…" Esme whispered, her mothering instincts kicking in. "Its okay, its okay. We are all here for you."

Carlisle offered his soothing words of comfort as well. "It's all going to be okay my child. It will work out one way or another. It will, it will. Trust me."

"I'm sorry Dad," I mumbled as I threw my arms around him and tugged him to me, while Esme still hugged me. He let me, and wrapped his arms around me. "I didn't mean what I said, I'm so sorry. A thousand apologies couldn't make up for what I have said."

He patted my shoulder while in the hug. "No need to apologise Shayla. Listen, why don't you go out for a run? Clear your head… get some fresh air. It'll do you some good."

"Okay," I agreed as I hopped off Esme's lap "I think I will." I kissed both of my parents on their foreheads before I waved goodbye to them, and I then dashed outside.

"Love you both!" I called out to them, earning a low chuckle from them both, before I sprinted into the forest to have a long, undisturbed and peaceful run.


	12. Chapter 12: Denali

**Sorry for the lateness! I recently reaquried my laptop and have been working furiously on my other fics. I had fun with this chapter, especially Shay's thoughts at the start. Anyway, enjoy!**

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**Chapter 12: Denali**

**Shayla's POV**

Things settled down after I got home. But then they revved up again as we started to prepare to leave for Denali, for the Cornell University spring break. Carlisle had gotten time off at the hospital for a month and we were leaving just after New Years Day, January the tenth to be precise.

Rosalie wasn't speaking to me, still too angry that I had travelled back to Forks to see her almost worst enemy, and that Esme and Carlisle were not angry at me about it at all. Because she was being bitchy to me, I was almost as bitchy to her. We spoke in hard voices and only when needed, and whenever one entered a room where the other was, the first one would walk out in a huff. I felt bad, having to stoop to her level, but I didn't really care.

Poor Emmett was torn. On one hand, he wanted to remain to his wife and mate Rosalie, but on the other, his little sister (me) was there. He wanted to please Rosalie but stay loyal to me. Whenever I came into a room where she and Emmett were located, and she would stalk off in a huff, calling a reluctant Emmett after her, where he would meekly glace at me and mouth an apology, before he scurried off after her, like a little lost puppy.

Alice and Jasper were staying out of our feud. Jasper wanted to support me, but at the same time, he felt a tie to his 'twin'. In order to protect both of our feelings, he proclaimed himself out of the quarrel and refused to hear, see or talk about it.

Alice was the same; she refused to even go near the subject. She busied herself with mini projects, one that involved clothes, and I, for a unique change, allowed myself to be her Barbie-doll guinea-pig. She dressed me. She re-dressed me. And she re-re-dressed me until she found the perfect style to wear that particular outfit. And she would drag me, ugh,_ shopping_. But, like the human Barbie-doll thing, I did not complain and allowed myself to be dragged around various malls, giving my opinion on various clothes, and carrying bags and bags of outfits in the proximity of some rather appealing humans. The one good thing was that she let me go into comic-book, video-game and media stores. She not once complained about my boy-like tendencies as I emerged grinning with several bags of my purchases.

Esme and Carlisle… they were trying to keep the order alive in the household. Order in a family of vampires… that was just a recipe for disaster. Esme was 'trying' to fix mine and Rosalie's grudge against one another by forcing us to talk and apologise. She wanted an apology for me running off to Forks to see Bella. I refused as I felt what I was doing was right. We were going nowhere so in the end, Esme threw her hands in the air and told us that, "We better sort this out before we leave for Denali."

That wasn't say we hadn't made any progress at all. We were speaking again, in more softer, less cold voices to one another. No long conversations, but short words of kindness to one another. Emmett was thrilled and proud of us for making the short steps.

So here I was now, packing the small backpack of winter clothes to take up to Denali. Part of it was filled with thick ski clothing, just for show to the humans, and the other half had my normal clothes in it, just jeans and a few t-shirts. I would go hunting in them.

It was almost time to go. "Are you nearly done Shayla?" Jasper asked as he poked his head in through my door.

"Just about!" I answered as picked up other belongings I would need: wallet filled with cash, cell phone, driver's license, and my passport just in case…I put them all in my bag before I shoved passed Jasper and raced downstairs.

We were taking two cars: Carlisle's Mercedes and Emmett's jeep. I was going with Carlisle and Esme in the Mercedes while the others claimed the jeep. I was personally very happy about this. While Alice and Jasper weren't so … flamboyant I guess, about their relationship like Rosalie and Emmett, but there were times when they forgot that their younger sister was in the room or car. Esme and Carlisle, they never did anything more then a peck on the cheek, or a simple touch of the hands but still, it was kind of gross.

However they kept that to a minimum in the car ride up to Alaska. I sat lounging across the backseat, staring out the window with my iPod in my ears, watching the landscape change as we raced across empty black roads at twice the legal speed.

I was looking forward to spending the spring break with the Denali's. I was cautious, mainly because of Laurent, wondering how my family would react. I was only slightly glad that Edward wasn't around to invade in on my private thoughts anymore. It was quite lovely to have privacy but, I missed my eldest brother very much.

I sighed sadly as I turned the music up, before skipping the next few songs, before coming to a rather depressing yet meaningful song, _Fall for You, _by Secondhand Serenade.

Esme flashed me a troubled look when I changed it, raising a perfect eyebrow, but dismissed it hastily after I looked at her, rolling my eyes at her unnecessary concern. My father saw this and smiled slightly to himself. He knew I didn't like to be looked after, and that I hated people to worry about me. It came from growing up on a farm by yourself while your Dad was workin' hard to make a living and put food on the table for you.

"Are we almost there yet?" I asked as I watched snow falling from the sky outside of the car. "Surely we must be. Running is so much faster."

Carlisle chuckled quietly. "Yes, almost Shayla, only just a few more minutes." To emphasise his point, he put his foot down harder on the accelerator and the car drove ahead faster up the winding mountain road, always staying on the right side of the road, and never slipping on the slippery ice.

I laughed quietly and watched as we ended up pulling up to the Denali's cabin-like mansion, one they used for when we stayed with them. It was a lot bigger then their normal house and it offered a lot more privacy to everyone, especially for the couples.

Kate came charging out when we pulled up, Emmett and the others weren't there yet, seeing as how the jeep was missing. "Shayla!" he called enthusiastically as she ran up to me and embraced me in a hug.

"Hey Kate!" I greeted my sister-like 'cousin' just as enthusiastically. "Long time, no see. Sorry I didn't manage to say a proper goodbye before I left – something big came up."

"Nah, it's okay," she laughed back, giving me a quick squeeze around my shoulders before she whisked me inside. "I knew you wouldn't leave without saying goodbye unless it was an emergency!" She giggled and poked me in the ribs, resulting in me jabbing her back with my elbow.

Inside, Carmen and Eleazar greeted us appropriately, just as Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice pulled up. While they got the welcoming treatment, Kate tagged along beside me as I retrieved my only bag from the car and then headed upstairs to the spare room that Tanya pointed out when I passed her on the stairs. After she had, of course, she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek before she ran downstairs to see the rest of my family. I knew that she would be disappointed that Edward would not be there. Even when Edward and Bella were still together, it hurt to think that weren't like that anymore, Tanya still liked Edward – a lot.

When I finally headed back downstairs, my siblings were no where to be seen. Instead though, Carmen, Elezar, Esme and Carlisle where seated around the fireplace with a roaring blaze set in it. Tanya and Kate were there too, sitting on a gorgeous Persian rug with a chess board set up in front of them. I paused, but Tanya turned to smile sweetly at me before she patted the blank space of rug beside her. I sat in between the two of them, so that three sides of the board had a vampire on it.

"Where's Irina?" I wondered out-loud to the group. "Shouldn't she be here?"

"She's with Laurent, they have their own little place," Carmen explained. "It's so delightful for her to have her own one now, no?"

"Yeah, that's brilliant," I replied, not adding what I really thought of Laurent. Despite the fact that Irina was easily the one of the Denali coven I disliked the most, I couldn't help but to feel pity for her about Laurent.

While I was thinking this, the front door banged open, and the wind sent a scent across my nose. I turned to see Irina step in, snow covering her hair and clothes, before she flitted over. "Sorry I'm late!" she said, smiling slightly. "Laurent got a call from a friend who he said he absolutely ahs to meet. He says he'll be back in a few days." She beamed.

Irina seemed to be better behaved then my last visit. We stayed in the house, conversing with our 'cousins' and getting reacquainted.

As the days went past, I discovered I was increasing in strength to resist. No where near the impressive record of Alice, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme, but still strong in its own way. I couldn't help how proud I felt sometimes, and I felt somewhat bad for Jasper, who was many years older then I but yet still struggled with his thirst. I knew his story, and knew it must be difficult for him – especially after we tried to attack Bella.

That was another problem. If human blood was spilt, could I still be strong? Or would I become a monster again? I had no way of knowing the answer to the question and frankly, I didn't want to know anyway. Some questions must remain unanswered after all.

And so, about a week later, the boys took off hunting with Carlisle, Esme, Carmen and Eleazar, while Tanya, Kate and Irina took Rosalie into the nearby cities for some shopping. I would've gone hunting with the guys, but I shrugged off the small but rapidly increasing pain in my throat.

And I was also rather surprised at Alice when she said she didn't want to go shopping. I was shocked.

"Geez, Alice, you feeling okay?" I had teased, holding a hand to her forehead. "Are you sure that you're not sick or something?"

"You're such an idiot sometimes," she answered seriously, swatting my hand away, but she grinned widely, before letting out her tinkling, bell-like laugh.

I laughed along with her but then, she stopped short and gasped. Her body shook, her eyes widened and glazed over, as she gasped and held a hand to her mouth. It looked like she was having a seizure rather then a vision.

"No," she whispered. "No… it can't have happened… no, not yet… oh dear God no!" She yelled the last part loudly and glared at the ceiling, as she forced herself to experience another vision, trying to see before a sob burst out of her chest.

"Alice!" I yelled, over-panicking. "Alice, talk to me! What the hell did you see?" This vision, it was big, and horrible, and terrible. Alice was sure freaked out by it. I had to know of its meaning.

Alice turned to face me, her golden eyes wide and fearful. I took her in my arms and hugged her, holding her, comforting her.

"What did you see?" I repeated, gazing into her eyes, as though I was trying to see the secret vision that she had seen. "What was it Alice?"

Alice froze solid, like a marble stature, and then, her lips parted slowly and she whispered in the most dead, shaky and unsure voice that I have never ever heard her speak with before, "Shayla, Bella's dead."


	13. Chapter 13: Flight

Chapter 13: Flight

Shayla's POV

_Previously on Shayla's New Moon…_

_Alice froze solid, like a marble stature, and then, her lips parted slowly and she whispered in the most dead, shaky and unsure voice that I have never ever heard her speak with before, "Shayla, Bella's dead."_

The words that Alice had spoken rang in my ears, not quite comprehending to my mind. But as reality set it, I gasped out loud. My stomach twisted and tightened and my knees felt like they were about to give out. I grabbed the doorframe beside me to steady myself but my hand smashed through it, leaving a hole in the size and shape of my curled fingers. I released my hand from it, making it bigger with splinters jutting out before I spoke but all my words were gibberish. "Wha-what? How-how-how could it, why did it-it-it, when… I mean, how did it happen?"

Alice looked close to sobbing. "She jumped off a cliff at La Push. She screamed all the way down. The current was too strong and she was dragged under. Before she jumped, she was talking to herself, saying something about, 'You wanted me to be human.' She must have gone crazy."

A strange sound filled the air, like a ripping noise mixed in with rumbles. I was perplexed but I then realised what it was. Me. The sound echoed from my chest as I sobbed. Alice hugged me as she too cried. We stood there for a while until the door burst open.

"Have you seen Emmett? I can't find him anywhere." Rosalie cut in on our moment of grief when she strode in. She stopped short when she saw us. "Um, what's going on? Alice? Shayla?" I noticed that she said my name with a lot more difficulty.

I looked up from where I held my sister to me. I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn't. Alice patted my shoulder affectionately, before she spoke for me. "Bella's dead Rosalie, she committed suicide today. I was trying not to see her and I missed this. It's too late to stop her."

Rosalie's face lit up for a brief moment before she arranged it into a cold mask, one that displayed her indifference for the situation. "Oh, oh I see. Well that's good isn't it? I mean, Edward can come home now right?"

I didn't respond with words. I let a horrific, gruesome snarl burst out from behind my lips as I drew them back to expose my razor-sharp teeth, at her face, and her heartless attitude. She took a step back, a good idea, while I hugged Alice. Sometimes I felt like I should have been the big sister – not her. I gave another threatening growl.

Alice's tone and face matched my disgust at Rosalie's feelings. "Rosalie! How can you say that?" Alice growled, a furious noise coming from such a tiny girl. "That is the most selfish, most heinous thing I have ever heard you say! Shayla's right – you really are a bitch sometimes!"

Rosalie scowled, yet still looking quite beautiful, before she flipped her hair over her shoulder and stalked out the door. "Whatever," she called. "But he will come home soon, I'll see to it."

I stood there as my vision partly clouded over and I saw nothing but rage, white-hot anger. She may have been my sister, but Rosalie was such an idiot sometimes! And she was incredibly selfish too. My fists clenched at my sides and my teeth locked together before I considered ripping her head off.

"Shayla." My head snapped towards Alice's. "I have to go, to see Charlie. It'll be too late, but it's the very least I can do. I'll need you to tell them what's going on so, can you –"

"No way," I interrupted. "I am coming too Alice. Bella was almost like a sister to me too, despite the fact that I always felt like killing her. I am coming with you."

She looked unsure as I gave her my best puppy-dog eyes look. "Please Alice," I begged. "Please Alice, I am begging you. Let me come. I can help."

There was a brief silence. "Well… alright," she finally said. "We'll need to get a plane."

"But that'll only get us to Seattle," I argued. "I can take the Mercedes if we need to be discreet."

"I don't think separating is the best idea."

"You got a better idea though Alice? Huh? Seriously, do you?"

She shook her head. "No I can't and I can't see anything, anything at all. Nothing. Just blurriness. Like a photograph that's been smudged. I can make out… voices... and places… but when it comes to seeing Bella and Forks… nothing. I have never experienced anything like this before."

Wow, that was unexpected, I swore and started to pace before I began to formulate a plan. After several minutes I turned to Alice to tell her my idea but she saw it coming and cut me off. "That's a great idea."

"You call the airlines!" I ordered as I ran upstairs to get a few things such as money, ID, passport and licence, both for Alice and I, as all of these items for a 'just in case' scenario. I threw them into two separate bags for the each of us, and then, after following Carlisle's scent, I found the keys to his car in the room he and Esme were staying in.

I could hear Alice arranging a flight to Seattle in an extremely fast, snappy human tone to the airline and before long, I heard her call up to me. "Quickly Shayla, there's no time to waste!"

I flew back downstairs and tossed her the keys. "Start her up for me; I just have to do one little thing."

Alice nodded and the next thing I knew, I could hear the soft purring of the Mercedes. Alice must have foreseen what I was about to do.

I found a piece of paper and a pen in the downstairs study, and with shaky fingers, I began to write a letter.

_Dear family,_

_Alice has had a vision of Bella committing suicide. It'll be too late to stop her, but we are still heading to Forks to see her family and help out. It's the least we can do for them all. _

_Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. I'm sorry Carlisle, but we had to borrow your car, for it was the only way for us to remain discreet._

_We love you all, and will be back soon,_

_Love, Alice and Shayla, xoxo_

I folded the note and wrote the names of the rest of my family on top on the folded paper before I sprinted outside. Alice threw open the door for me and moved to the passenger side, as I leapt in. My bag went into the backseat as I planted my foot. I did a burnout to turn around before I took off along the winding mountain road.

I took Alice to Anchorage, the closest major city to Denali, and just in the nick of time as she predicted her plane would be boarding in five minutes. After giving me a swift peck, she raced into the airport.

I took off as soon as she was out of site, and sped along the roads before I reached the main highway. Seeing as it was getting close to the middle of the day, I had to keep my speed in check as I spied more then one patrol car hanging around on corners, in breakdown lanes, and behind billboards.

When I was about halfway there, I received a text from Alice.

_If you want to get there before me, hurry up! – Alice_

I growled softly but took a hand off the wheel to text back.

_I'm going as fast as I can without getting caught by the coppers. Just hang tight. Do you know if I'll be there before you or not? – Shay_

Her reply was almost instantaneous. _Yes, I'll beat you by ten minutes, tops. So speed it up girl! – Alice_

When the way ahead of me cleared as I took the exit that would lead me to Seattle, I planted my foot down on the accelerator, and zipped ahead.

As I entered Seattle and checked my rear-vision mirror, I did a double take. God damn it, my eyes were going dark. My lips moved as I almost silently counted back the days I had hunted. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven…

Those eleven days, eleven short days, was almost a fortnight. How on earth did I last this long? I was so caught up in the drama everyone else was experiencing because of me; I had paid no mind to my throat.

But I couldn't hunt now. It was too late, I needed to meet Alice. I pushed harder on the pedal and shot forward to weave through the Seattle streets in the busy late afternoon traffic.

I kept the windows locked up tight as I pulled up at the airport. I left the car running and it had barely been a minute, when the door to my side opened and Alice poked her head in.

"Move over," she ordered and I meekly obliged, setting me into the passenger seat as Alice readjusted the seat, before peeling away at a strongly illegal speed to be going at in a built up area.

"Jesus Christ Alice!" I yelled as we overtook many cars before being hit by another in the opposite lane. Many honked their horns at us. "Slow the fuck down or we'll get totally busted!"

Alice snorted at this but she did slow down a reasonable bit as well. Out of the corner of my eye as I stared ahead out the windscreen at the road, I saw her shoot me a dirty look.

"What?!" I snapped at her. "What Alice? I'm just being cautious. If you got caught, how the hell would we get out of it? You tell me how."

Alice didn't respond but did give a small hiss at my words. I curled my lips back and hissed right back at her. She gave me a curious, yet annoyed look, but didn't respond in any way other then that. I leant back into my seat, feeling slightly smug at having beaten the little psychic pixie for a change.

"This isn't contest to see who wins, and who loses," she muttered. "I just want to get there in time and hopefully see her just one last time, before, before…"

I held a hand to her shoulder. She was right of course. "Yeah, me two. Just… just floor it Alice okay?"

She nodded once, a simple bob of her head, before she planted her foot to the accelerator.

The sky darkened as we got closer and closer to our destination. The headlights were switched on, and I moved to the backseat, to the darkness, as Alice kept driving. I lay still for the entire trip from then on, thinking, worrying and fretting.

Bella was dead… what did that mean for Edward? Would he come home? Or would he keep hunting Victoria, if he hadn't already caught her that is.

What was my family's reaction the news that Bella had since passed? Esme and Carlisle would be utterly devastated. Their forth daughter… was dead. Yes, they would be, and probably Emmett as well. Rosalie wouldn't give a friggen' damn, I knew that much. And Jasper… I wasn't too sure about him but I was sure that, for Alice, he too would be upset.

Overall, with the exception of one, the family would be destroyed, crushed, shattered… again, whose fault was it? Mine and only mine. Again.

It was completely dark by the time we rolled into Forks. When we pulled up outside's Bella's, no, now just Charlie's house, the old red Chevy was gone. Of course. It'll be near the cliff where Bella jumped off, or, if they had discovered she was… dead, they would be driving it home now.

Alice parked the car and we walked across the street. The house was dark, empty and as Alice unlocked the front door, I took a final look around the street, before I followed my sister inside the house.

It looked exactly the same as I remembered from my previous trip here, well the outside at least. Inside, old Christmas decorations lay here and there, and obvious Charlie items were around like an unloaded gun, his belt on a hook by the door, as well as his boots that were near the stairwell.

I sniffed, smelling the room. Bella's scent was still fresh, not even a day old. Charlie's lingered here and there as well.

And then Alice paused, with a look of shock on her face. "Go into the kitchen Shayla, now," she whispered and I did, hiding around the corner. I peeked around the doorframe as Alice stood in the front hall, watching the door.

A rumble from outside announced a truck pulling up. I heard several voices, two to be exact. One was male, the other was female. And they were arguing.

"It's not a trick. It's Carlisle. Take me back!" the female yelled, her voice hysterical but yet oddly familiar.

Bella.

"She's alive," I breathed.

"No," the male voice replied coldly. The owner of this one was unknown to me and I had no clue who it belonged to. I furrowed my brow and snuck a glance at Alice but her back was to me. I shrugged to myself and continued to eavesdrop.

"Jake, it's okay –" Bella tried to argue with this 'Jake'.

"No. Take yourself back Bella." His voice was sharp, almost like a slap, and I too winched as I heard it.

"Look Bella," Jake stared to explain. "I can't go back. Treaty or no treaty, that's my enemy in there."

And that's when I realised. Jake was really Jacob Black of the Quileute tribe of the La Push reservation. He was a wolf, a werewolf. My jaw clenched as I struggled to contain the growl that was building deep in my chest.

"It's not like that –" Bella replied to that.

"I have to tell Sam right away. This changes things. We can't be caught on their territory."

Damn right they couldn't!

"Jake, it's not a war!"

The door to the truck opened, and someone jumped out, while it was still running. I could guess that it was Jake.

"Bye Bella," he called while he sprinted away. "I really hope you don't die."

There was a brief silence, before Bella drove back around to the house. Once the headlights were off, it was very dark, at least for her. The porch light was off.

The doorknob twisted with a squeak as she slowly opened the door. Her heart was hammering in her chest, rather loudly too. _Ignore it, ignore it, ignore it_! I chanted to myself.

I heard her fingers hitting the wall as she searched for the light switch. When I poked my head around to see her, the lights clicked on.

And there standing in the hall before my sister, looking like a half-drowned but very much alive rat, was Isabella Swan.


	14. Chapter 14: Visitor

**Thsi chapter is preety much as exact copy of Chapter 17 in New Moon so.. yeah, enjoy :)**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Visitor**

**Shayla's POV**

Bella stared at Alice, shock written all over her face, before her knees trembled and she ran and slammed into Alice, but not even moving her an inch from where she stood. It would have been like running headlong into a solid brick wall.

"Alice, oh Alice!" she cried as locked her arms around her and gasped, smelling Alice's perfect floral scent.

"Bella?" Alice asked, confused but relieved. I let out a sigh, a loud, relieved one, and locked my arms around my chest to stop me from running and embracing Bella in a hug.

Bella began to sob then and Alice dragged her to the couch where she pulled the crying Bella to her lap and soothed her by rubbing her back, and waited for her to control herself.

"I'm… sorry," Bella blubbered out. "I'm just… so happy… to see you!"

"It's okay, Bella. Everything's okay."

"Yes," Bella bawled.

My sister sighed. "I'd forgotten how exuberant you are," she said and her tone rang with disapproval.

I snickered and wandered over to the couch before leaning over the back of it. Bella's eyes snapped up to mine and I nodded my head, a greeting and a warning in one.

Bella then looked up at Alice through her streaming eyes. Alice's eyes were blacker then night, her neck tight, straining away from the human on her lap, and her lips together. She was in no better shape then I.

Bella smelled _delicious_. What I wouldn't give for a taste of her blood. But the sane part of my head, the one that had my family's faces imprinted on it. I was smart enough to know that, even though I wanted it very much, I couldn't kill Bella. I _would _withstand it. I _could_ do this.

"Oh," Bella puffed, as she realised our problem. She smelled appetising to two very thirsty vampires. "Sorry."

Yeah, like it was her fault in the first place. I should have been smarter and hunted earlier instead of ignoring the ache in my throat.

"It's my own fault. It's been too long since I've hunted. I shouldn't have let myself get so thirsty."

"Nor should have I," I said, speaking for the first time to Bella.

"But we were in a hurry today," Alice continued on. She then glared at Bella. "Speaking of which, would you like to explain how you are still alive?"

Bella stopped her sobs. She must have realised what must have happened, and why we were here.

She swallowed loudly. "You saw me fall."

"No," Alice disagreed, narrowing her eyes. "I saw you _jump_."

As Bella pursed her lips, I glared at her too, a frightening gesture. Not that it mattered anyway. Hardly anything scared Bella, practically nothing. I wouldn't say anything, she was more Alice's friend then mine and this was her time to talk.

Alice shook her head. "I told this would happen. 'Bella promised,'" she then quoted our brother, imitating his voice almost perfectly; so much that Bella froze in her seat as she listened. "'Don't be looking for her in the future either. We've done enough damage.'"

"But because I'm not looking, doesn't mean I don't _see_," she went on. "I wasn't keeping tabs on you, I swear Bella. It's just that I'm already attuned to you… when I saw you jumping, I didn't think, I just told Shayla and I jumped on a plane while she drove. We both knew it was too late but we just couldn't do _nothing_. And then we got here, thinking maybe we could help Charlie somehow, and you drive up." She shook her head, this time in confusion. Her voice was strained when she spoke again. "I saw you go into the water and I waited and waited for you to come up, but you didn't. What happened? And how could you do that too Charlie? Did you stop to think what this would do to him? And my brother? Do you have _any _idea what Edward –"

It was true of course, all of her words were true. If Edward found out that she ha committed suicide, he would be utterly devastated. Would he want to keep living his existence? No he wouldn't.

But before Alice could continue though, Bella cut her off. "Alice, I wasn't committing suicide."

Alice eyed Bella dubiously before she looked at me and we exchanged a confused look with one another. "Are you saying that you didn't jump off a cliff?"

"No…" Bella answered, grimacing when she did so. "It was for recreational purposes."

Alice's expression hardened and I chuckled quietly. Cliff diving was one of my passions. I was an adrenaline junkie and I loved to do anything that would get a human's heart pumping and the venom in my system racing like the adrenaline in a human system. There weren't many things that the humans offered to do that got such things happening but, with my brothers helping me, I could find my own things that was higher faster and more exhilarating then anything a human could do.

"I'd seen some of Jacob's friends' cliff diving," Bella insisted. "It looked like… fun, and I was bored…"

We waited for a better explanation. We didn't have very long to though.

"I didn't think about how the storm would affect the currents. Actually, I didn't think about the water much at all."

I believed her but Alice, she didn't buy it at all. Bella must have saw this and tried to distract Alice with a different subject. "If you saw me go in, why didn't you see Jacob?"

Alice cocked her head to the side, distracted. All I said was, "Huh?"

Bella continued on. "It's true that I probably would have drowned if Jacob hadn't jumped in after me. Well, okay, there's no probably about it. But he did, and he pulled me out, and I guessed he towed me back to shore, though I was kind of out for that part. It couldn't have been more then a minute that I was under before he grabbed me. How come you didn't see that?"

Alice frowned, her perfect face confused. I too was confused, and my face probably almost imitated hers perfectly. "Someone pulled you out?" Alice asked.

"Yes. Jacob saved me."

Emotions flickered across Alice's face. Confusion… doubt… pity? Was her vision bothering her, how she couldn't see the wolf-boy? She never mentioned not seeing them before, even though she had only met them once and that was to sign the treaty.

I sniffed, and I detected a very, very disgusting smell. Alice must have picked it up as well, because she sniffed Bella's shoulder, who has frozen in her seat.

"Don't be ridiculous," Alice mumbled, sniffing a bit more. Her sense of smell wasn't as strong as mine, so I could pick up the scent from where I was at the back of the couch, as strongly as if I was sitting where Alice sat now.

"What are you doing?" Bella demanded to know but Alice ignored that demand.

"Who was with you out there just now? It sounded like you were arguing."

"Jacob Black. He's… sort of like my best friend, I guess. At least, he was…" Bella hesitated and looked distracted.

Alice nodded once, seeming preoccupied. I wandered around to the other side of the couch and sat of Alice's other side, feeling a bit annoyed that I was being ignored.

"What?" Bella asked Alice.

"I don't know," she answered. "I'm not sure what it means."

"Well, I'm not dead at least." Well, thank fucking God.

Alice rolled her eyes when she said that last part. "He was a fool to think that you could survive alone. I've never seen anyone so prone to life threatening idiocy." She shot a look at me and jabbed her elbow in my ribs while I was in my slouched position. "This one here doesn't count since, technically, she can't die, even though some of the things she does is completely and utterly foolish."

"Shut it," I answered. "At least I'm doing something fun." She rolled her eyes to this comment.

"Hey, I survived," Bella pointed out, interrupting our mini argument.

Alice went back to thinking of something else. "So, if the currents were too much for you, how did this Jacob manage?" Good question.

"Jacob is… strong."

There was reluctance in her voice. I exchanged a look with Alice who twisted her neck around to gaze at me. I shrugged before Alice turned back around and raised her eyebrows.

Bella gnawed on her bottom lip as she sat there. "See, well, he's sort of a werewolf…" she finally admitted. "The Quileutes turn into wolves when there are vampires around. They know Carlisle from a long time ago. Were you with Carlisle back then?"

Alice gawked at Bella for a moment and then recovered herself, blinking rapidly. So, I had been right after all. "Well, I guess that explains the smell," she muttered. "But does it explain what I don't see?" She frowned again, her porcelain forehead creasing.

"The smell?"

"You smell –" Alice began to say but I cut her off.

"You stick Bells, it smells like a really, really strong wet dog scent. It's goddamn awful." To illustrate my point, I turned my face away from her and plugged my nose with my fingertips.

Alice smiled for a brief second before she kept talking. "As Shayla just pointed out, yes, you do smell awful. A werewolf? Are you sure about that?"

"Very sure," Bella promised, as she winced slightly. "I guess you weren't with Carlisle the last time there were werewolves in Forks?"

"No, I had only just found him when they first appeared but when we signed the treaty, about twenty years later, they found our scent and tracked us. It was during Shayla's first year as a vampire as it so happened to be." Her eyes widened and we both stared at her. "You best friend is a werewolf?"

Bella nodded. I shook my head. Werewolves were _not _good company to keep.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Not long," Bella said, her voice getting a defensive edge to it. "He's been a werewolf for a few weeks."

And it just keeps getting worse doesn't it?

My sister and I glowered at her. "A _young _werewolf? Even worse! Edward was right – you're a magnet for danger. Weren't you supposed to be staying out of trouble?"

"There's nothing wrong with werewolves," Bella grumbled, slightly annoyed and stung by Alice's critical tone and the irritated glare on my face.

"Until they lose their tempers." Alice shook her head sharply from side to side as I rolled my eyes. "Leave it to you Bella. Anyone else would be better off when the vampires left town. But you have to start hanging out with the first monsters you can find."

Bella was trembling but then she spoke again. "No, Alice, the vampires didn't really leave – not all of them, anyway. That's the whole trouble. If it weren't for the werewolves, Victoria would have gotten me by now. Well, if it weren't for Jake and his friends, Laurent would have gotten me before she could I guess, so –"

"Victoria?" Alice hissed. "Laurent?"

I opened my mouth and hissed in time with Alice before I clenched my teeth together and instead, let a deep, throaty growl slip out in pure anger and frustration.

Bella didn't seem fazed one bit my snarls and instead continued on before she pointed to her chest. "Danger magnet, remember?"

I shook her head at Bella and Alice did too. "Tell us everything – start at the beginning."

Bella started to talk, telling of her depression and when we left, before she moved onto how she and Jacob become best friends. She explained how he 'dumped' her and then about the wolves. I hated her hurried explanation about the cliffs and boredom before she talked about seeing a strange flame in the water before she said that she thought it was Victoria.

Alice's eyes were narrowed at this part and if was really freaky to see her look so deadly, so dangerous – so much like a real vampire. I probably looked like one too with my bared teeth, clenched fists and furious-looking eyes, as well as the loud rumbles echoing from deep in my chest. Bella seemed a little fazed but hurried on with an explanation of what had happened today, when old Harry Clearwater had a heart attack.

But we kept listening without argument. I tutted occasionally and Alice shook her head and the crease on her forehead before it looked like it could become of permanent residence on her head.

Finally Bella fell quiet and sat silently. I gazed at her curiously, until Alice spoke.

"Our leaving didn't do you any good at all, did it?" she murmured.

I gave a small scoffing noise. "Ya reckon?" I mumbled.

Bella didn't hear me and laughed a hysterical laugh. "That was never the point, though, was it? It's not like you left for my benefit."

Alice scowled at the floor as I glared at the ceiling, still fuming slightly. "Well…" Alice said. "I guess we both acted impulsively today. I probably shouldn't have come back."

Bella's face went white as she clutched Alice. "Don't go Alice," she whispered. "Please don't leave me." She looked like she was about to hyperventilate which she did, seconds later.

Yep, thanks for wanting me to stay too, Bella.

Alice's eyes widened. "All right," she answered, pronouncing every word with slow precision. "I'm not going anywhere tonight, and neither are you Shayla," she added as I made the decision to leave. Take a deep breath Bella."

Bella peered around Alice as she tried to breathe. "Stay… please…" she whispered. She extended a hand out to mine and I took it.

"I will," I promised. "Until you want me gone for good."

Bella smiled slightly and I grinned at her. I was happy, I felt like I was wanted, needed now, and not just a prop sitting next to my sister.

Alice waited until Bella seemed calm enough to speak again. "You look like hell, Bella"

"I drowned today," she reminded her.

"It goes deeper then that. You're a mess."

Bella flinched. "Look, I'm doing my best."

"What do you mean?"

"It hasn't been easy. I'm working on it."

Alice frowned. "I told him," she muttered, more to herself then to us. I nodded.

"Alice, Shayla," Bella sighed and we snapped our faces towards he. "What did you think you were going to find? I mean, besides me dead? Did you expect to find me skipping around and whistling show tunes? You both know me better then that."

"We do. But I hoped."

"Then I guess I don't have the corner on the idiocy market."

Then the phone rang.

"That has to be Charlie," Bella stated as she dragged herself to her feet and staggered over to pick it up. "Charlie?"

_"No, it's me," _a voice answered on the other line. It was rougher, huskier, and slightly deep as well, but it was difficult to tell by the phones old cables.

"Jake!" Bella cried.

Damn mutt. We both scrutinized Bella's reaction to this phone conversation.

_"Just making sure you're still alive." _I snarled at this remark. He won't be if I ever got my hands on him. Who does he think he is? The tog dog? I nearly giggled at my joke.

"I'm fine. I told you it was –"

_"Yeah. I got it. Bye."_ The friggen dog hung up on her! Talk about being rude.

Bella sighed as she replaced the phone, and let her head hang back, staring at the ceiling. "That's going to be a problem."

Alice got up and squeezed Bella's hand. "They aren't excited that we're here."

"Though they have a right to," I agreed, knowing that though, as much as I hated the wolves, they were right. We left, and so they took over the territory like they should've. We came back, they had to go back to La Push and protect only their people. It was a difficult situation all round.

"Not especially," Bella answered us as I joined them. "But it's none of their business anyway."

Alice placed her around Bella. I could have done the same, except, well, Bella and I weren't as close as Alice and her well. It would have been awkward with a capital A. "So what do we do now?" she mused, talking to herself. "Things to do, loose ends to tie."

"What things to do?" Bella asked

My sister's face was frozen, careful as she picked her words carefully. "I don't know for sure… we'll need to see Carlisle." She glanced at me. I nodded in response, a quick jerky movement.

Bella looked shocked. "Could you stay? Please? For just a little while. You have no idea how much I've missed you both so much."

I blinked out of habit and surprise. "You missed me?"

She nodded. "You're like the little sister I never got to have. You're so fun and full of life. Just to be around you makes anyone happy."

Alice spoke again. "I'm not sure that's a good idea, us staying I mean." Her eyes were unhappy, uncertain.

"I do," Bella argued. Still oh-so-stubborn. "You could stay here – Charlie would love that."

"We do have a house, Bella."

She nodded, disappointed but quickly resigned. Alice hesitated next, as she spoke for the both of us.

"Well, we'll need to go get a suitcase of clothes."

"Alice, you're the best!" Bella threw her around her before she put one around me as well. I held my breath as her delicious human scent tickled my nose. My venom glands released more venom into my mouth which I swallowed quickly and glanced at Alice.

Alice saw this and said, "And I think we both need to hunt. Immediately," she added, in a strained voice.

"Oops," Bella mumbled and released us taking a step back.

"Can you stay out of trouble for an hour?" Alice closed her eyes and focused, holding up a finger as a symbol for Bella to stay silent. Her face went smooth and blank for a few seconds before she opened them.

"Yes, you'll be fine. For tonight, anyway," she answered her own question before she grimaced.

"You'll come back?" Bella asked in a small voice, glancing between us. My body was tense, set, to run the minute Alice decided we should go.

"I promise – one hour," Alice answered as Bella glanced at the clock. She laughed at this and kissed Bella on the cheek. And with a swift glance at me, we bolted. 


	15. Chapter 15: Reunion

**Chapter 15: Reunion**

**Shayla's POV**

Deep in the forest, high up on a branch, I stalked a mountain lioness as she in turn stalked her prey, a squirrel of all things. I paused, watching the cat twitch her tail in preparation, as the wind changed direction, to send my scent washing over her.

She spun around hissing, and then growled a warning at me. For some strange reason, out of all the animals in the forest, I could understand carnivores. Just the meat-eaters, though, though I could just understand deer slightly, but nothing else. It was weird, but helpful, to me at least, when I hunted.

_What are you doing! Get away! _The cat hissed out this warning as she swiped her hooked claws at me. I shrunk down lower, before I pounced, just like this lioness was about to. I tackled her off the branch and we tumbled down to the forest floor.

I found my meal at her throat which I sunk my teeth into, as I began to feed on the slightly appetising feast. She struggled widely and I held her still as her teeth struggled to find purchase at my neck, and her claws at my arms and chest. Soon her shrieks and struggles ceased, and she fell silent as the only sound was of me feeding on her hot, wet blood.

Finally, she was drained and I buried the body quickly, while I wiped my face with my shirt. Everyone teased that I was a messy eater, kind of like Emmett. I often returned from hunting trips with bloodstained and torn clothing. The ones that were unrepairable, I threw out and Alice took great pleasure in buying me more. She was such a good sister.

I brushed the dirt off my plain black tee with a silver patter running down the front, looking like a great shining dragon, before I inspected the damage. A few tears in the design but no great big rips. I said a prayer of thanks; this was one of my favourites.

I sniffed, and tried to pick up Alice's scent. I found it and set off at a run to the north, before I found Alice confronting a giant black bear.

I found it quite amusing that such a tiny pixie could not be the least be fazed by a monstrous black bear as it towered over her. Her eyes were almost golden – I knew if she fed on the bear there would be some left over.

So I darted to her side and grinned as the bear roared unhappily and swiped with a massive paw at us both. I caught it in a hand easily and threw it back, sending the bear off balance and to be tackled by Alice who sunk her teeth into its hairy throat.

They crashed to the ground in a flurry of fur, leaves and limbs, as Alice began to drink. I wandered to her side, and picked up a forearm and sunk my teeth into the vein, feeding on the fallen bear we shared.

Usually, when my kind is hunting, we don't share, vegetarian or not. If there is a limited source of food then yes but by normal standards, no, we don't. But, my family has learnt to share. We must hunt carefully to keep a steady rate of both carnivores and vegetarian prey in supply.

Depending on how thirsty you are an elk, moose or bear can feed at least two of us. We can have one to ourselves first, if you're dead thirsty and of course, no one is stupid enough to try and share another vampire's first feed of the fortnight when they're desperately thirsty. It was just plain foolish.

But Alice knew that she couldn't consume the bear in one go by herself without being completely uncomfortable. So that's why she let me help, and to not throw me at against tree or to snarl a warning. She was kind and considerate, and had some humanity in her to keep some manners with her while she hunted. Not me though; I once threw Emmett into a boulder when he wandered too close to my grizzly. I was rather overprotective of my food; Jasper had found that out on my very first hunt,

She finished first and waited patiently for me. I released my teeth from the furry limb and rose from my crouched position as Alice effortlessly lifted the bear over her tiny shoulder. Together, we disposed of the corpse easily by hiding it in some thick scrub.

And then we began to run back, without speaking once. We had gone home beforehand to find some clothes and we had left them in bags in a tree near the edge of Bella Swan's lawn.

Alice was inside first and into the living room, to sit on the makeshift bed that she wouldn't need. I followed in to see that Bella had made one up for me as well, but on one of the armchairs. A tiny glimmer of hope that she was trying to accept me as a friend sparked up inside of me. Was she being friendly or just humouring me?

I heard Bella scoff down her dinner in a rush, gulping down a few gallons of milk, before she came into the room.

Alice patted her pillow as I sank into the armchair. "Thanks," she said.

"You're early," Bella stated, her face lighting up and her voice adopting an elated tone.

She sat down next to Alice and leant against her. My sister sighed and hugged Bella to her. I moved to sit down on their other side, leaning back against the couch.

"Bella. What _are _we going to do with you?" Alice sighed.

"I don't know," Bella admitted. "I really have been trying my hardest."

"I believe you."

"_We _believe you," I corrected in a hard voice. "I believe you as well Bella."

Bella seemed surprised that I believed her. She fell silent until she worked up the courage to talk again.

"Does – does he…" She took a deep breath. "Does Edward know you're here?" She gave a shiver and kept breathing out loud raspy breaths. Damn you Edward, I wish you could see what the hell you have done to her!

"No," Alice and I answered at the same time, and in the same flat, unhappy voice. She, like me, was still angry at him. She hadn't seen what I had seen, physically, but she knew enough.

Bella kept talking. "He's not with Carlisle and Esme?"

"He checks in every few months."

"Oh." Bella paused as she gathered her thoughts. "You said you flew here… Where did you come from?"

"We were in Denali. Visiting Tanya's family. Shayla drove while I flew. She's a speed demon when it comes to that car." I snorted at this remark.

"Is Jasper here? Did he come with you?"

Alice shook her head. "No, it's just us. He didn't approve of my interfering… We promised…." She trailed off and then her tone of voice changed. "And you think Charlie won't mind me being here?"

"Charlie thinks your wonderful, Alice." She turned her head to me. "I don't think he's ever met you Shayla."

I shook my head. "No, never. I hope he approves."

"Well, we're about to find out," Alice said, glancing towards the door.

I pricked my ears and cocked my head to the side, as a car pulled up outside. Bella jumped up and hurried to the door to open it and go outside. I heard her and Charlie converse in muffled tone about Harry before Bella spoke again. "Um, Dad? You'll never guess who's here."

Alice and I moved closer to the door, still out of sight. She moved into the doorway before I did and spoke first. "Hi Charlie," she greeted in a subdued voice. "I'm sorry we came at a bad time."

From my place behind Alice, I could see him peer at Alice expectantly, as though he expected someone other then the tiny girl in front of me. "Alice Cullen?" he asked, bewildered. Apparently he had a soft spot for Alice, even calling her an angel at times. "Alice, is that you?"

"It's me," she confirmed. "I was in the neighbourhood."

"Is Carlisle…?" he asked, trailing off. I knew he wasn't talking about Carlisle really.

"No, it's just my sister and I."

"Your sister?" he glanced around and I decided it was my turn to show my face around him.

I stepped out into his view line. "Hello Chief Swan. My name is Shayla; I'm Alice's younger sister."

He blinked confused. "I didn't know Dr Cullen had a kid…"

"He didn't, I'm adopted as well. He took me in when I was thirteen. I got sent to boarding school in Australia for two years when I turned fourteen and I returned around last year sometime. So… yeah."

Yep, that was my cover story for being away. Apparently I was a 'difficult child' because my parents had died young and my previous foster parents were drug addicts and did a lot of other criminal behaviour. The best option was either sending me to boarding school or to be put medication. Since Esme didn't want me on drugs and Carlisle didn't believe that they would work (of course not, I can't eat), they sent me away. But when I came back, I was a changed girl and have had no problems since. Well, no 'human' problems.

"They can both stay here, can't they?" Bella suddenly asked, almost pleading. "I've already asked them."

Charlie looked uncertain but then he answered mechanically, "Of course. We'd love to have you both."

"Thank you Charlie," Alice answered for us both. "I know it's horrid timing."

"No, it's fine, really. I'm going to be really busy doing what I for Harry's family; it will be nice for Bella to have some company."

"There's dinner on the table for you Dad," Bella informed him next, and he murmured a thank you, before he shuffled towards the kitchen.

We went back to the couch and Alice pulled Bella towards her shoulder. "You look tired," she stated, not asking, but stating a very obvious fact. Bella had faint shadows underneath, like she was a vampire who had just fed, but still slightly thirsty.

"Yeah," Bella agreed, shrugging. "Near-death experiences do that to me… So, what does Carlisle think of you being here?"

I sniggered quietly. Alice shot me a 'shut-up-and-behave' look before she answered Bella. "He doesn't know. He and Esme were on a hunting trip. I'll hear from him in a few days, when he gets back."

"You won't tell _him_ though… when he checks in again?" Bella wasn't talking about Carlisle now, Alice and I knew that.

"No. He'd bite my head off," Alice replied grimly. I grimaced at the thought. Edward defiantly would _not _be happy about this.

Bella laughed once, a quick, short laugh, before she sighed and lay back onto Alice's shoulder. She shut her eyes, and eventually, she drifted herself to sleep.

I knew I had to pretend to sleep so Charlie wouldn't think that it was odd that Bella's two closest non-human friends did not sleep. So I snuggled down into the makeshift bed and closed my eyes.

It was for a fair few hours I sat there, just sat there, before the sun rose from behind the horizon. I peeked a little and tilted my head listening, but there were no sounds of life in the house apart from Bella's now peaceful sleep and Charlie's snore. Huh, guess he wasn't the 'Wake up at the crack of dawn' person.

But a few hours later, he did wake up and peeked into the living room before he called out softly to us, whispering our names and when I poked my head u expectedly, he asked me if I wanted breakfast. I nodded, not seeing another option, and followed him into the kitchen, poking Alice as she slid from Bella's hold to follow us.

While the chief went out to tack the trash out, Bella gave me a quick demo on how to hide and eat human food. All I had to do was to chew it as much as possible so it was almost liquefied, and then swallow it. Sure, it would be thrown up later but that was tough luck. I had no other option. Alice on the other hand was an expert on hiding human food in other places, so she wouldn't have to empty her stomach later. I knew that she had the better option but I took the easy way out.

It was bacon and eggs for breakfast, or just bacon for me, after I told Charlie I wasn't fond of eggs. He smiled slightly, and told us he wasn't either but Bella apparently loved them. I smiled back and tucked in.

It was gross, swallowing the bacon as he talked to Alice. When they got onto the subject of Bella, I listened eagerly.

"How bad was it, Charlie?" Alice asked softly.

Charlie sighed. "Real bad."

"Tell me about it. I want to know exactly what happened after we left.

Charlie paused as he got up to shut a cupboard door, and to switch off a dial on the stove.

"I've never felt so helpless," he began slowly. "I didn't know what to do. That first week – I thought I was going have to hospitalize her. She wouldn't eat or drink, she wouldn't move. Dr Gerandy was throwing around words like 'catatonic,' but I didn't let him up to see her I thought it would scare her."

"She snapped out of it though?"

"I had Renee come to take her to Florida. I just didn't want to be the one… if she had to go to a hospital or something. I hoped being with her mother would help. But when we started packing her clothes, she woke with a vengeance. I've never seen Bella throw a fit like that. She was never one for tantrums, but, boy, did she fly into a fury. She threw her clothes everywhere and screaming that we couldn't make her leave – and then she finally started crying. I thought that would be the turning point. I didn't argue when she insisted on staying here… and she did seem to get better at first…"

He trailed off and it was obvious how much this pained him to talk about this. In the other room, I heard Bella shift and her breathing sped up. Ah, she must be awake now and, knowing her, probably listening to our conversation.

"But?" Alice prompted, allowing Charlie to resume his previous talk.

"She went back to school and work, she ate and slept and did her homework. She answered when someone asked her a direct question. But she was... empty. Her eyes were blank. There were lots of little things – she wouldn't listen to music anymore; I found a whole heap of CDs broken in the trash. She didn't read; she wouldn't be in the same room when the TV was on, not that she watched it much before. I finally figured it out – she was avoiding everything that might reminder of… him.

"We could hardly talk; I was so worried about saying something that would upset her – the littlest things would make her flinch – and she never volunteered anything. She would just answer if I asked her something.

"She was alone all the time. She didn't call her friends back and after a while, they stopped calling.

"It was the night of the living dead around here. I still hear her screaming in her sleep…"

He gave a shudder and I realised. Bella hadn't fooled him. He knew what was happening, the screaming, the nightmares... I shuddered too before I heard Bella sigh sadly.

"I'm so sorry Charlie," Alice said back glumly.

"Me too," I agreed as I pushed my plate forward, unable to swallow any of the nasty stuff down anymore.

"It's not _your _fault girls." The way he said made it clear who was responsible. My dumb, idiotic brother. "You, Alice, were always a good friend to her. And Shayla, I don't know you all too well but you're a good kid and perhaps even a better friend to my girl. Not too many around these days. Stay like that."

"Thank you Chief." I nodded my head respectively.

"She seems better now though," Alice resumed the previous conversation.

"Yeah. Ever since she started hanging out with Jacob Black, I noticed a real improvement. She has some colour in her cheeks when she comes home, some light in her eyes. She's happier." He paused and his voice was different, almost with a proud tone in it. "He's a year or so younger then her, and I know she used to think of it as a friend, but I think it's something more now, or headed that direction anyway." Charlie said this in a tone almost belligerent. It was a warning, not for us, but for us to both pass along. "Jake's old for his years," he continued on, sounding kind of like he was bragging and he was getting defensive as well. "He's taken care of his father physically the way Bella took care of her mother emotionally. It matured him. He's a good-looking kid too – take's after his Mom's side. He's good for Bella you know," he insisted.

"Then it's good she has him," Alice agreed. I nodded my head when Charlie eyes me warningly, as though I didn't agree. If Jacob made Bella happy, who was I to stand in their way?

Charlie sighed and let out a big gush of air. "Okay, so I guess that's overstating things. I don't know… even with Jacob, now and then I see something in her eyes, and I wonder if I've ever grasped how much pain she's really in. It's not normal, Alice, and it… it frightens me. Not normal at all. Not like someone… left her, but liked someone died." His voice cracked a little but he held on to keep talking, in a hopeless tone.

"I don't know if she's going to get over it – I'm not sure if it's in her nature to heal from something like this. She's always been such a constant little thing. She doesn't get past things, change her mind."

"She's one of a kind," Alice agreed.

"And Alice …" Charlie hesitated, speaking only to Alice for a moment. "Now, you know how fond I am of you, and I can tell that she's happy to see you, but… I'm a little worried about what your visit will do to her."

"So am I, Charlie, so am I. We wouldn't have come back if we'd had any idea. I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologise honey. Who know? Maybe it'll be good for her."

"I hope you're right."

There was a long silence as Charlie ate and Alice 'ate' as well. Forks scraped against plates, and while Charlie chewed nosily.

"Girls, I have to ask you something," Charlie said awkwardly.

I tilted my head, confused, but Alice was calm. "Go ahead."

"He's not coming back to visit, too, is he?" Charlie had suppressed anger in his voice as he made it perfectly clear who he meant.

I hid my anger at Charlie very well while Alice answered him, in the most calm and reassuring voice that she could. "He doesn't know I'm here. The last time I spoke to him, he was in South America."

"That's something at least," Charlie snorted. "Well, I hope he's enjoying himself."

I narrowed my eyes at this accusation and for the first time, Alice's voice gained a bit of steel in it. "I wouldn't make assumptions Charlie." Her eyes flashed when she used that tone.

Charlie scooted back on his chair, making a horrible scraping noise, as he took the plates to wash in the sink.

In the other room, Bella 'woke up'. I grinned at Alice. We both knew she was listening. "Alice, Shayla?" she called in a raspy voice.

"We're in here Bella," Alice called, adding no hint in her voice that we had heard her eavesdropping.

Charlie left then to arrange the funeral but we stayed another day, talking to Bella about our family, about all but one. We explained where we were living now, what we were doing, and Alice explained about her past. And then after a brief pause, we talked about the spring break and kept on talking until Charlie returned, just after dark. We 'slept' in the living room again.

The next morning, Charlie tiptoes down the stairs, wearing an old suit that was too small for him, as the jacket hung open and was perhaps a little tight. The tie was a little out of style too. I could tell Alice and Bella were also awake and we let him go.

As soon he was gone, Alice sat up, fully dressed like me. "So, what are we doing today?" she asked.

"Yeah, what's on the agenda for today?" I asked too in a teasing voice. "Is it going to be bungee jumping, kayaking or sky-diving?"

Bella laughed in time with me before she told us that she had some chores to do, since she has been neglecting them in order to spend more at La Push.

While she worked, we talked some more. While Bella started with the bathroom, Alice leant against the doorjamb and asked question about her, or rather, _our _high school friends. Her face and voice sounded casual but she disapproved of how little Bella could tell of them.

When Bella was scrubbing the bathtub, the doorbell rang. Alice jumped, surprised and a little worried judging by her expression. Hang on, Alice was _never _surprised.

"Hold on!" Bella shouted as she got up to rinse her arms off.

"Bella," Alice suddenly said, slightly frustrated. "I have a fairly good guess who that might be, and I think we'd better step out."

"Guess?" Bella echoed, slightly confused.

"If this is a repeat of my egregious lapse in foresight yesterday, then it's most likely Jacob Black or one of his…"

"Mongrel friends," I finished.

Bella stared. "You can't _see _werewolves?"

Alice grimaced. "So it would seem." Alice was annoyed by this fact, very, very annoyed.

The doorbell rang again, buzzing quickly and impatiently.

"You don't have to go anywhere, Shayla and Alice. You were both here first."

We laughed darkly. "Trust us Bella; it wouldn't be a good idea to have me, Shayla and Jacob Black in a room together.

And then, after Alice kissed Bella's cheek and I gave her a one-armed hug, we vanished out of Charlie's back window.

The doorbell rang once again.


	16. Chapter 16: Vision

**Little update here, with a flashback. Hope you enjoy it :)****Chapter 16: Vision**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Vision**

**Shayla's POV**

When we left, we stayed far away from the house to give them privacy, but close enough so we could keep an eye on them. We rain circuits around the house in the forest, passing each other occasionally.

I took the quiet moment to think as we ran silently. What was going on with my family? Has Rosalie told them about Alice's vision? Did they believe her? Did Edward know? What would happen if he came home and found out she was live through our minds? Would he be furious, or grateful?

These were questions I didn't have the answers to, and I didn't know where to find them. Edward… every decision in the past few months have revolved around him, hasn't they? In one way, it made me livid… he was the 'Golden Boy' of the family, one who could do no wrong._ So, you wanna leave Forks, Eddie-Boy? Sure let's go then! Who cares about the rest of the family?_

I suppressed a growl as I stopped my running and skid to a graceful stop. I immediately felt guilty for my horrid thoughts about my brother. Thank the lord for the fact that he couldn't hear me.

I sighed and leant against a tree, as I stared up at the cloudy morning sky. My mind was wandering, going from Bella to my family, to Edward, and then back to my family, but not my 'real' family.

My friends had become like a second family to me. They were the main coven of Australia, because they were the most civilised and one of the biggest groups there.

Not that they always had been. Civilised, I mean. Once upon a time, they had been savage and bloodthirsty, like all non-vegetarian vampires. And, as cocky as this may sound, if I had not me them and helped them change their ways, they would still be the same. And all it had taken to change them was one little accidental meeting with them…

_I ran through the dark bush, paying extra-careful attention where I was going. My feet were bare, clothes ragged and torn, and for the first time in weeks, my eyes were a, though unsteady, golden colour, one almost equal to topaz or honey, but with a small tinge of burgundy and black to them._

_I didn't hear the footfalls until it was too late. I was only focusing on getting to the capital of Tasmania, Hobart, and then, out of nowhere, I was tackled to the ground._

_My first instinct was to fight and struggle to get out and away. I kicked my legs out and threw my shoulders back to send whoever had landed on me right off. The figure fell off and gave a small cry before I leapt to my feet and crouched, ready to fight if I needed to._

_I locked eyes on the vampire before me. She was very beautiful, probably a rival to Rosalie in looks with her model-like physique and light chocolate-coloured hair. She was about, oh, twenty-two in physical looks, maybe? I wasn't too sure. She wasn't an animal-eater, shown by her red eyes, but she did hold an air of compassion around her. Which I saw in action a few moments later._

"_Wait!" she cried out, holding a hand up. "I need to ask you something."_

_I stopped and stood straight, still wary and slightly defensive, but in a more friendly position. "Um, ask away."_

"_Your eyes…" she started. "They're golden… how? I have fed on humans for decades and they have always stayed this colour." She gestured to her eyes and then chuckled darkly._

_I pointed to my own eyes. "These bad boys? Easy. If you promise not to try and kill me, I'll show you. Deal?"_

"_Deal," she agreed as I took off at a small jog, breathing in deeply. I made sue that she was in my sight line at all times._

"_By the way," she suddenly said from beside me. "I'm Maddy."_

"_Shayla," I replied as I smelled a collection of foreign and musky scent. A kangaroo mob was up ahead, drinking from a billabong. As I came into sight of them, Maddy quirked an eyebrow up but I ignored it. I put of a burst of speed as she slowed to watch me hunt._

_The mob fled. Kangaroos were slippery little basterds, more of a challenge to hunt then deer or mountain lions. They were faster then both of them, and a lot faster then humans. But I was still faster._

_One got separated, a young female. I let myself get in touch with my animal side and soon, the race was over for the roo. I leapt, jaws wide and angled for he back of her soft neck, and I almost severed it clean off with my bite._

_The other vampire gawked as I managed to drain it. I then dug a wide and deep hole at superhuman speed before I picked up the corpse and tossed it into the hole to be buried._

_I wandered back over to Maddy. "Animals," she said, dumbfounded. "No humans, just animals?"_

_I nodded. "This was how I was taught. I could hunt humans, if I wanted to… but the truth is I don't want to be a monster. My family and I, that's how we co-exist and live so peacefully with one another; it's because we're not bloodthirsty and fighting over our food."_

_I expected Maddy to scoff at this and laugh. But instead she said, "Tell me more!"_

_I explained the situation with my family, how I changed, how I raised to be a 'veggie' vampire, and about my family all together, like their gifts, their personalities, and pretty much just everything about them in general. Somewhere in this talk we ended up in a tree as we laughed and swapped stories._

_Maddy eagerly told me a bout her coven, a bunch of vampires that had come together for protection from the evil nomad gangs roaming the land._

"_You're lucky I found you," Maddy had warned, her friendly tone now one of darkness. "Anyone else probably would have killed you on the spot. But I was curious so I decided to find out." She grinned. "And I'm glad."_

_Maddy was a compassionate vampire it seemed, almost like my father, Carlisle. She was friendly and even invited me to meet her coven. I accepted._

_As we ran up some rocky hills, Maddy explained that she would be willing to try our diet. "I wouldn't mind, but I'm not sure if the rest of us would."_

_There were five more in her coven, her mate, a pair who was mated, and then two more that were biologically related. None had been created by anyone in the coven but they seemed to live someone-what peacefully with one another, despite the constant bickering and fights they had._

_When the hill became steep, I saw our destination. A cave with a ledge jutting out of the hill, so it was almost impossible to get in, and with firelight flickering from it. I got on all fours and managed to clamber up the hill easily. Maddy showed me how to jump up, by rebounding off some rocks, and I copied her. _

_I should have been suspicious like my instincts were saying, but her kind and willing nature to change tore that from my mind. She was genuinely friendly; anyone could see that._

_She walked ahead of me into the deep cave which went into the hill a little bit, and around a tight corner. "I'm back!" she called._

_Five vampires were lazing around a fire on logs and rocks. They all had dark red eyes._

_One in particular caught my eye. A tall male with dark hair, almost like dark chocolate that, when Maddy stood beside him, complemented her milk chocolate coloured hair perfectly. It gave him an air of sweetness, friendliness, quite like Maddy's, but the look on his face wasn't. He was dangerous, tense, wary… protective. I think Maddy must have been his mate judging by his tense stature._

_The rest stood nearby, not exactly glaring at me, but yet still giving me a look that told me I wasn't exactly welcome. There were four more of them, two that looked like twins with their identical blonde hair, straight, angular features, and young, youth like stature. They were young physically, probably only just into their teenage years. They weren't mates, but probably related._

_The other pair was mated together, shown by their joined hands. The girl had raven-black hair which fell to just beneath her shoulders, while the male had curly, blond hair, very similar to Jasper's. It seemed to have other colours running through it, was it possible for vampires to dye their hair? I should find out…_

_But now wasn't the time. Maddy suddenly began to speak quickly. She explained who I was, my diet, and how I could help her family-like coven. And then she turned to me._

"_Shayla, I'd like you to meet these people I would dearly call family. This is Theo and Tiff…" The guy with the dyed hair winked at me as he wrapped an arm around his black-haired mate's shoulders._

"_G'day," he greeted, with a strong Australian accent is his voice. "I'm Theo and this is my girl Tiff." He gave her a squeeze. _

"_I'm Shayla," I replied, trying to let some of my natural and almost-forgotten accent to seep in. "But my friends call me Shay."_

_This seemed to amuse Theo and he chuckled at my voice and grinned widely. Despite his ruby eyes, I could see myself getting along with him._

"_That's Corey, and Jessie, the twins," Maddy then said, as the very similar vampires came forward. But only just an inch or two._

_They didn't seem comfortable with me being there. Their eyes were wary and they seemed fidgety, as they kept twitching their limbs, and they seemed to be set on flight or fight._

"_And finally, this is Matthew," Maddy finished as she led the final vampire forward to greet me. With the hard look in his eyes, his set jaw, and his almost frozen body in a dominate position, I could tell that he was the, or one of, the main leaders in the coven._

"_So," he started, glaring down at me while he spoke. "Your name is Shayla… where you from and what's your purpose in our territory?"_

"_Matthew!" Maddy hissed as she punched him in the arm. She was acting like an overprotective older sister. I rolled my eyes. I already had two; I didn't need another one, for I had three annoying and rather obnoxious older brothers as well._

"_Yeah, that's my name, what's it to ya?" I snarled. I wanted to see how far I could push him, for he struck me as the overprotective alpha that had a rather short fuse. I just needed to light that fuse._

_He growled loudly, a low and rumbling sound in his chest. "I don't like your attitude shortie."_

"_And I don't like your face," I retorted smugly. "But you don't hear me complaining about."_

_I heard two of the vampires behind Matt snigger loudly. "Ooo, you got burned by the new girl, Matty!" I glanced to see Tiff laughing along with her mate as Theo snorted at my comeback. He then gushed excitedly, "That was a good one Shay! I hadn't heard a decent comeback like that since I was human." He stepped forward towards me and held out a fist. "Bump it." We smashed our fists together and I grinned. Theo seemed like an all-out decent and awesome guy. I liked him._

"_Humph." Matt seemed unimpressed as he turned away and stalked off towards the back of the cave. Maddy shot me an apologetic look before she followed while the other vampires settled around the fire. I stood there, uncomfortable in this rather awkward situation where I had been invited to another coven's 'home' but the person that had invited me had left. It was like a party you went to and you knew no one at all and had spent it drinking vodka alone behind the back shed._

_However, unlike that certain party, that troublesome problem was soon eliminated._

"_Join us Shay," Jessie invited in a soft voice, as she patted the rocky earth beside her, "We won't bite…"  
_

"_Much!" Corey laughed, finishing his twin's sentence. I frowned, slightly confused until someone, if I think, and whispered that he was kidding._

_We sat there for a while, talking quietly to one another. I found out that they had not always been people-eaters. They were once vegetarians but after Corey and Jessie joined, who were not vegetarians, they drifted back into old habits and hadn't attempted to break them._

Suddenly my day-dream was cut off by Alice flying past me. "Alice!" I yelled. "What the hell is going on?" She ignored me and ran back to Bella's house, before she darted back in through Charlie's window. I sighed and followed and just as I came to the top of the stairs, I saw Alice at the foot of them, her eyes wide and shocked as she chocked out Bella's name. Jacob was there too, frozen in place as he stood there.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Bella cried as I darted down the stairs, just as Bella placed her hands on Alice's drawn whiter-then bone-bone face to try and calm her down, as she trembled uncontrollably.

"Edward," Alice whispered.


	17. Chapter 17: Edward

**Whoo, this keeps getting better and better ain't it?! As usual, a lot from the original New Moon book so... enjoy :D**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Edward**

**Shayla's POV**

I drew in a sharp intake of breath and started cursing widely as I wrapped my arms around Alice and started hissing questions into her ear. But she ignored me so I watched Bella instead.

She had frozen, out of what could be assumed as pure shock, while Jake started swearing, like me, and hissing profanities into her ear. Humph, he was clearly a bad-boy and would be a terrible influence on Bella. What was he, eighteen, nineteen? Bella was then pulled to the couch by him, rather roughly, so I snarled at him but he ignored me. Lots of people seem to do that a lot round here…

"What did you do to her?" he demanded to know as the couch shook under his quivering body.

Alice ignored him as she approached her. "Bella? Bella, snap out if it. We have to hurry."

"Stay back," Jacob warned.

"Calm down, Jacob Black," my sister ordered. "You don't want to do that so close to her."

"Keep your trap shut, dog," I snarled menacingly to Jacob at the same time she spoke to him. "Unless you want me to do it for you!"

"I don't think I have any trouble keeping my focus," he retorted, but his voice sounded rather a little cooled. "And you," he suddenly snapped before he glared at me. "I can say what I want here."

I growled. He growled back, rather less threateningly sound might I add, before Bella spoke up. "Alice?" he voice was weak. "What happened?"

Alice's answer was a wail of despair, something I rarely heard. "I don't know, what is he thinking?!"

My grip around her shoulders tightened. Bella stiffened and then pulled herself up from the couch, holding onto Jacob's arm and using it as a lever to get up.

Alice pulled herself away from me and pulled a silver phone from her bag and dialled a number so fast her fingers were a blur, even to my eyes. And when she put it to her ear, I got a look at the number she dialled.

"Yes_?_" The beautiful voice on the other line answered innocently. A little _too_ innocently if you asked me. Like she was trying to hide something.

"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle _now_." Alice snapped at her sister, her voice whipped through the words as she spoke. I heard Rosalie's reply with ease with my super (somewhat) hearing.

"Oh, Alice! Carlisle's hunting. What _–" _

"Fine, as soon as he's back," Alice snapped in response to that. Rosalie was awfully cheery for some odd reason. The word cheery didn't suit Rosalie at all, not one bit. Angsty, bitchy and moody, yes, but cheery? Not, not at all.

"What is it? I'll track him down right away and have him call you –"

"No," Alice interrupted again. "Look, have you heard anything from Edward?"

"Well, yes, Alice. Actually, I did talk to Edward. Just a few minutes ago." She took a sharp intake of breath and then started at Alice, in an angry tone. "You and Carlisle wrong, Edward wouldn't appreciate being lied to. He'd want the truth. He did want it. So I gave it to him. I called him… I called him a lot. Until he picked up. A message would have been… wrong."

Oh no. Please tell me I didn't hear what I think she just said. Pleas tell me I heard wrong, please, oh god, please…

"Why?" Alice gasped. "_Why_ would you do that Rosalie?" Oh shit, she did do it! Oh, man, when I got home she was so dead. I put out my hand for the phone so I could yell at my other sister but Alice ignored me and turned away. I let out a frustrated sigh.

"Because the sooner he gets over this, the sooner things go back to normal." Rosalie continued on. "It wouldn't have been easier with time, so why put it off? Time isn't going to change anything. Bella is dead. Edward will grieve and then get over it. Better he begins now then later."

Alice's jaw tightened and her eyes flashed angrily as she narrowed them. I growled and Jacob bared his teeth before he held on tighter to Bella. Like I was going to attack her. Hah, I don't make the same mistake twice in a row.

"Well, you're wrong on both counts, though Rosalie," Alice continued, though in a fierce, vicious tone.

"Bella's still alive?" Rosalie whispered through the phone.

"Yes, that's right, she's absolutely fine _–_"

"Fine? You saw her jump off a cliff!"Rosalie practically cried, as if she didn't believe her.

"I was wrong," Alice replied bluntly.

"How?"

"It's a long story."

"Well, you've made quite a mess." Wait, Rosalie was blaming Alice? When it had been her that told Edward? That son-of-a-bitch… "Edward's going to be furious when he comes home."

"But you're wrong about that part too, that's why I'm calling," Alice growled into the phone. She was possibly even madder at Rosalie then I was. And that was pretty pissed off.

"Wrong about what? Edward coming home? Of course he will." She laughed mockingly through the phone and Alice's fist tightened. "What? You think he's going to pull a Romeo? Ha? Like some stupid, romantic –"

"Yes!" Alice hissed, with her voice like ice. "That's exactly what I saw."

"No. He's not stupid. He – he must realise that _–_" Alice hissed into the phone, covering the rest of Rosalie's sentence. "I – I didn't mean it like _that_, Alice! I just wanted him to come home!" Her voice was a howl of despair.

"It's a bit late for that Rose," Alice replied, her voice harder and colder then ever before. "Save your remorse for someone who believes it."

She snapped the phone shut with a sharp twist of her fingers. Her gaze was tortured as she turned to stare at us all. With Jacob shaking and holding a slightly stunned Bella to him, and then to me with bared teeth, and trembling hands. Growls were coming from deep in my chest.

"Alice," Bella suddenly blurted out. "Alice, Carlisle is back, though. He called just before…"

Alice stared blankly at Bella as I shifted my gaze to her as well. "How long ago?" Alice asked in a hollow voice.

"Half a minute before you both showed up."

"What did he say?" She was focused on Bella, waiting eagerly for an answer.

I didn't talk to him." Bella's eye's flickered to Jacob.

Alice turned her penetrating gaze on him. He flinched slightly but held his place. He shifted and sat awkwardly, like he was trying to shield Bella with his body.

"He asked for Charlie, and I told him Charlie wasn't here," the boy muttered resentfully, sounding a bit younger then his true age. Or maybe he was younger then what I had guessed? Maybe he was physically a man but perhaps inside, he was still a boy… I did not know.

"Is that everything?" Alice demanded in an ice-like voice.

"Then he hung up on me," Jacob spat back, before a tremor rocked his body.

"You told him Charlie was at the funeral," Bella reminded Jacob.

Alice's head jerked back to Bella. "What were his exact words?"

"He said, 'He's not here,' and when Carlisle asked where Charlie was, Jacob said, 'He's at the funeral."

Alice moaned and sank to her knees. "Alice?" I cried panicked as I sunk down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, _chica, _you know I hate secrets, what's going on? Where's my _hermano_?" I went into an old habit, speaking in certain Spanish terms to her, from my early days of high school, where I would eagerly learn Spanish with Edward patiently helping me. I swallowed a mouthful of venom as the old memories resurfaced, and as Alice turned to gaze meaningfully at me before she fixed her gaze on Bella's bewildered face.

"Tell me, Alice," she whispered.

"That wasn't Carlisle on the phone," Alice answered hopelessly.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Jacob snarled but everyone, even Bella, ignored him.

"It was Edward," Alice chocked out. "He thinks you're dead."

I heard nothing after this statement except for two heartbeats._ Thump, thump, thump, thump… _Bella's meek human one accelerated as Alice's shocked words reached her ears. Jacob's kept going at it's regular fast pace, _thumpthumpthumpthump_…. He was not shocked, or scared like we were.

"Rosalie told him I killed myself didn't she?" Bella said, sighing as she tried to relax her body.

"Yes," Alice admitted, her eyes flashing hard again. "In her defence, she did believe it. They rely on my sight far too much for something that works so imperfectly. But for her to track him down to tell him this! Didn't she realise… or care…?" Her voice was horror struck and I knew the answers to her questions. No… she mustn't have realised the consequences of her actions… but if she did, she wouldn't have cared, not one bit. I held my face in my hands before I sighed deeply and stopped the growls in my chest that had been rumbling involuntarily for the time Alice had spent talking to us.

"And when Edward called here, he thought Jacob meant my funeral," Bella concluded, realisation hitting her like a speeding bus. She dug her nails into Jacob's skin, he didn't seem to notice… or care.

Alice looked at her strangely. "You're not upset."

"Well, it's really rotten timing, but it will all get straightened out. The next time he calls, someone will tell him… what… really…" She trailed off as she saw Alice's tortured gaze. Alice was panicked, her face twisting with pity and horror… It was about what she had seen and right now, even I didn't know what was going on. It was something about what Rosalie said, and her sudden remorse… not remorse for Bella, but for her family, her brother…

"Bella," Alice whispered. "Edward won't call again. He believed her."

"I. Don't. Understand." Bella said each word slowly as I she couldn't quite comprehend what was going on.

Alice took a deep breath. "He's going to Italy."

The length it time that it took me to realise what he words meant was less then one of Jacob's heartbeats. I gasped and stepped back, my mouth forming a little 'O' of horror. My fists clenched in my hair as ran my fingers through it before I began to swear and curse. "No, no, no, no, no! Alice!" She glanced at me. "He won't, he can't! Can he?" She nodded slowly, an agonising, tortured gesture.

"NO!" Bella suddenly shrieked, making us all jump at her denial of the situation, with the blood suddenly rushing to her face. "No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't do that!"

"He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed it was too late to save you."

"But he… he _left!_ He didn't want me anymore! What difference does it make now? He knew I would die sometime?"

"I don't think he planned to outlive you by long," Alice said quietly.

"How _dare _he!" Bella screamed, on her feet now. Jacob rose to plant himself between her, and us. But Bella would have none of that.

"Oh, get out of the way, Jacob!" She elbowed her way around his trembling body. "What can we do?" she begged to us both. "Can't we call him? Can Carlisle?"

I shot a panicked look at Alice. I didn't know what to do. She would know; could we call him? But she shook her head. "That was the first thing I tried. He left his phone in a trash can in Rio – someone answered it…"

"You said before we had to hurry. Hurry how? Let's do it, whatever it is!" Bella cried hastily.

"Bella, I – I don't think I can ask you to…" Alice trailed off uncertainly.

But Bella didn't care. "Ask me!" she commanded.

Alice still looked unsure. "Come on Alice," I urged. "Let's just do it! Let her come with us! She might be our only chance."

Alice put her hands on Bella's shoulders, holding her in place, her fingers flexing sporadically to emphasize her next words. "We may already be too late. I saw him going to the Volturi… and asking to die." All three of us cringed when she said the words and Alice's eyes went blind. I held a hand to her shoulder, a protective gesture. "It all depends on what they choose," she continued on. "I can't see that till they make a decision.

"But if they say no, and they might – Aro is fond of Carlisle, and wouldn't want to offend him – Edward has a backup plan. They're very protective of their city. If Edward does something to upset the peace, he thinks they'll act to stop him. And he's right they will."

Bella stared at her before her jaw clenched in frustration. Alice kept going. "So if they agree to grant her favour, we're too late. If they say no, and he comes up with a plan to offend them quickly enough, we're too late. If he gives into his theatrical tendencies… we might have time."

"Let's go!" Bella and I yelled at the same time, before we both glanced at each other and I grinned cockily at her.

"Listen, Bella, Shay! Whether we have time or not, we will be in the heart of the Volturi city. I will be considered an accomplice if he is successful. You, Bella, will be a human who not only knows too much, but also smells too good. There's a very good chance that they will eliminate us all – though in your case it won't be punishment so much at dinnertime."

"This is what's keeping us here?" Bella asked in disbelief.

"Surprisingly," I said in a rather bored voice. "Yes."

"I'll go alone if you're afraid," Bella threatened to Alice while she stole a hopeful glance at me. Like she was asking, _if she won't, will you? _I gave a swift nod of my head. Yes, yes I would.

"I'm only afraid of getting you killed," Alice replied.

Bella snorted in disgust. "I almost get myself killed on a daily basis! Tell me what I need to do!"

"You write a note to Charlie. I'll call the airlines. Shayla, _please _tell me you brought a passport."

"Bingo." I held it in front of her face along with a wad of cash.

"Charlie," Bella gasped, suddenly having a look of great anguish and pain on her face.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to Charlie," Jacob growled in his gruff and deep voice. "Screw the treaty." If it was anyone else but Bella's father I would have been angry at this statement but now wasn't the time to get upset over treaty lines. He needed to be kept safe, which was the most important thing right now.

Bella ran to the kitchen with Jacob on her heels. Alice dialled an airline and arranged a flight to Italy with a stop in New York for Bella.

"Don't go," Jacob whispered from the kitchen to Bella.

"Please, please, _please _take care of Charlie, Bella said as she dashed back to the front room where I now stood with Alice with a bag over each of our shoulders.

"Get your wallet – you'll need ID," Alice ordered to her. "_Please _tell me you have a passport. I don't have time to forge you one."

Bella nodded once and ran up the stairs. I could hear her fumbling around, grabbing items, opening and shutting drawers. She soon fled back down but the sound her footfalls were interrupted by Alice's and Jacob's heated confrontation by the front door. They were standing so far apart, clearly disgusted by the other's smell, that you couldn't tell they were arguing at first.

"You might control yourself on occasion, but these leeches you're taking her to –" Jacob was furiously accusing her.

"Yes. You're right, dog," Alice snarled back at him, just as furious as the mutt. "The Volturi are the essence of our kind – they're the reason your hair stands on end when you smell me. They are the substance of your nightmares, the dread behind your instincts. I'm not unaware of that."

"And you take her to them like a bottle of wine for a party!" he shouted back.

I growled at him before Alice spoke again. "You think she'd be better off if I left her here alone with Victoria stalking her?" Alice had a comeback for every sentence he unleashed.

"We can handle the redhead.

"Then why is she still hunting?"

Jacob growled then and his body shuddered.

"Stop that!" Bella suddenly yelled at us, very impatient. "Argue when we get back, let's go!"

We turned for the car and run. Bella was still on the porch, locking the door as I dove into the backseat.

I glanced out the window to see Jake grab Bella's arm. "Please Bella. I'm begging."

"Jake I have to –"

"You don't though. You really don't. You could stay here with me. You could stay alive. For Charlie. For me."

Alice started the car which she coaxed into a purr, thanks to me and Rose's mechanical skills. It however thrummed impatiently when Alice revved it.

On the porch, Bella yanked her arm free and shook her head at Jake, tears starting to appear.

"Don't die, Bella," Jacob chocked out. "Don't go. Don't."

Bella sobbed before she hugged him briefly and then kissed his palm. "Bye Jake. Sorry."

She turned and ran towards the car. I reached over the passenger seat to yank open the door for her. She threw her back pack to me and slid in, before slamming the door.

"Take care of Charlie!" she shouted out the window but Jacob was gone. And as Alice stomped on the accelerator and raced out of the dark street, a single shred of white was caught on a tree. A piece of shoe.


	18. Chapter 18: Race

**Chapter 18: Race**

**Shayla's POV**

Thanks to Alice's crazy but fast driving, we made it the airport with moments to spare. As soon as we were in the air, I breathed out a sigh of relief.

_We're coming Edward, _I thought, even though I knew he couldn't hear. _Just hang on bro, we're coming. Stay safe._

Bella was anxious. The two of them, Bella and Alice, sat in front of me while I sat by myself behind them. The trip would be a test of control but I was determined to make it. I wasn't thirsty but they did smell… rather appetizing.

Alice was on the phone to Jasper with Bella pretending not to listen beside her. "No, you can't… she murmured ever so quietly. "Tell Emmett no… Well, go after Emmett and Rosalie and bring them back… Think about it, Jasper. If he sees any of us, what do you think he'll do?"

She nodded to herself. "Exactly. I think Bella is our only chance – if there is a chance… I'll do everything that can be done but prepare Carlisle; the odds aren't good."

She laughed then. "I've thought of that… Yes, I promise." Her voice then earned a pleading edge to it. "Don't follow me. I promise, Jasper. One way or another, I'll get out… And I will get her out as well… I love you."

I had a sneaky suspicion 'her' meant me.

Alice hung up the phone just as I leant over the rest my crossed forearms between the headrests of Alice's and Bella's seats, before I rested my head on my arms. Alice sighed and leant back into the seat, like she was exhausted, and muttered, "I hate lying to him.

"Tell me everything Alice," Bella begged. "I don't understand. Why did you tell Jasper to stop Emmett, why can't they come to help us?"

"Two reasons," Alice whispered with her eyes closed. "The first I told him. We _could _try to stop Edward ourselves – if Emmett could get his hands on him, we might be able to stop him long enough to convince him you're alive. But we can't sneak up on Edward. And if he sees us coming, he'll just act that much faster. Throw a Buick through a wall or something, and the Volturi will take him down."

"That's the second reason of course, the reason I couldn't say to Jasper. Because if they're there and the Volturi kill Edward, they'll fight them. Bella." She opened her eyes and gazed at Bella. "If there was any chance we could win… if there was any chance the five of us could save my brother by fighting for him, maybe it would be different. But we can't, and, Bella, I can't lose Jasper like that."

Alice was protecting Jasper, my brother. If the rest of them tagged along and got caught exposing ourselves to the humans, we would all be killed, no questions asked. Rose, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Edward and me… Carlisle and Esme would be rendered childless, assuming that Bella was with us. But she wouldn't be killed for exposure; she would be killed because she simply was human and it so happened to be dinnertime.

Bella and Alice were still talking and discussing how Edward wouldn't hear them, with his abilities I meant. Alice was convinced that if we ran up to him going, 'She's alive, she's alive!' he wouldn't believe us because, believe it or not, it was possible to lie with your thoughts.

"Who are these Volturi?" Bella was now demanding to know in a whisper. "What makes them so much more dangerous than Emmett, Jasper, Shayla, Rosalie and you?"

Alice took a deep breath and went to talk but then shot a dirty look over her shoulder. A man in a business suit with a laptop on his knees was looking away, trying very hard to appear as though he wasn't listening. But when the three of glared at him with irritation, he opened the computer and very conspicuously put the headphones in.

Bella leaned in closer to Alice while she, my sister, breathed the story in her ear.

"I'm surprised you recognised the name," she began. "That you understood so immediately what it meant – when I said he was going to Italy. I thought I would have to explain. How much did Edward tell you?"

"He just said they were an old, powerful family – like royalty. That you didn't antagonise them unless you wanted to… die," Bella whispered in response.

"You have to understand," Alice said in a slower, more measured voice. "We Cullens are unique in more ways than you know. It's… _abnormal for_ so many of us to live together in peace. It's the same for Tanya's family in the north…"

"Or my band, in Australia," I butted in, grinning cheekily. "It took a while to convince them to go back to 'normal'…" I made one hand form quotation marks in the air. "After they went back to their old traditional standards. They had just given up, but I guess that I just provided a spark of hope for them. They listened, and they learned." I beamed proudly.

Alice nodded along to my words. "Yes, some attempt, then give up, or partly live on animals, if they're in remote areas, But for the most part, none live like us. Carlisle speculates that abstaining makes it easier for us to be civilised, to form bonds based on love rather then survival or convenience. Even James's little coven of three was unusually large – and you saw how easily Laurent left them. Our kind travel alone, or in pairs, as a general rule. Carlisle's family is the biggest in existence, followed by the Australian coven, with the one exception. The Volturi."

"There were three originally," I started, telling the story along with Alice. "Aro, Caius and Marcus."

"I've seen them," Bella mumbled. "In the picture in Carlisle's study.

Alice nodded. "Two females joined them over time, and the five make up the family. I'm not sure, but I suspect their age is what gives them the ability to live peacefully together. They are well over three thousand years old. Or maybe it's their gifts that give them extra tolerance. Like Edward and I, Aro and Marcus are… talented."

She continued on. "Or maybe it's just their love of power that binds them together. Royalty is an apt description."

"But if there are only five –" Bella questioned.

"Five that make up the family," I corrected softly. "That doesn't include their guard."

She took a deep breath and glanced up at me, leaning on her seat. 'That sounds… serious."

"Oh, it is,' Alice reassured her. "There were nine members of the guard that were permanent, the last we heard. Others are more… transitory. It changes. And many of them are gifted as well – with formidable gifts, gifts that make what I and Shayla can do a parlour trick. The Volturi chose them for their abilities, physical or otherwise."

"In other words, they, by which I mean mostly Aro, are like collectors," I explained. "Except they prefer the vampires over the stamps. I spent a few moments with them once upon a time. Never again. They wanted to keep me but I refused to leave my family. Disappointed, they let me leave but… others stay. They like the power, the wealth and the blood, above all the blood. They can feed without fear of exposure and without hassle. And they feel big with the others on their side, who are just as powerful, or if not more, then they are. It's sick to me, just sick." I shuddered dramatically.

Bella's mouth opened and closed a few times before Alice nodded her head and spoke what Bella must have been thinking (I wouldn't know, I wasn't Edward). "They don't get into too many confrontations. No one is stupid enough to mess with them. They stay in the city, leaving only as duty calls.

"Duty?" Bella echoed, wondering out loud.

"Didn't Edward tell you what they do?"

"No," Bella answered, a look of blankness on her face,

Alice glanced at the laptop man again who was typing furiously away, before she began to whisper ever-so quietly. "There's a reason we call them royalty… the ruling class. Over the millennia, they have assumed the position of enforcing our rule – which actually translates to punishing transgressors. They fulfil that duty decisively."

Bella's face was one of shock. "There are _rules_?" she hissed, a little too loud for our benefit.

"Shh!" we hissed back at her.

"Shouldn't somebody have mentioned this to me earlier?" she whispered angrily. "I mean, I wanted to be a… to be one of you! Shouldn't somebody have explained the rules to me?"

Alice chuckled as I stifled my giggles. "It's not that complicated, Bella. There's only one core restriction – and if you think about it, you can probably figure it out for yourself."

"Nope, I have no idea."

Alice shook her head, disappointed. "Maybe it's too obvious. We just have to keep our existence a secret."

"Oh."

"It makes sense and most of us don't need policing," she continued. "But, after a few centauries, sometimes one of us gets bored. Or crazy. I don't know. And then the Volturi step in before it can compromise them, or the rest of us."

"So Edward…"

"Is planning to flout that in their own city – the city they've secretly held for three thousand years, since the time of the Etruscans. They are so protective of their city that they don't allow hunting within its walls. Volterra is probably the safest city in the world – from vampire attacks at least."

"But you said they don't leave. How do they eat?"

"They don't leave. They bring in their food from the outside, from quite faraway sometimes," I explained quickly, recalling long lost memories of accompanying the guard on such treks. "It gives their guard something to do when they're not out annihilating mavericks. Or preventing Volterra from exposure…"

"From situations like this one, like Edward," she finished for me.

"I doubt they've ever had a situation like this," Alice muttered, disgusted with our brother. "You don't get a lot of suicidal vampires."

Bella gave a quiet sound of pain and Alice wrapped her thin but strong around her shoulders. "We'll do what we can, Bella. It's not over yet."

"Not yet," Bella replied softly. "And the Volturi will get us if we mess up."

Alice stiffened. "You say that like it's a good thing."

Bella shrugged and I, very lightly, tapped across the back of the head with my hand.

"Knock it off Bella or we're turning around in New York and I'm taking you back to Forks," I growled at her

"What?" she demanded.

Alice sighed. "You know what. If we're too late for Edward, I'm – we're are going to do our damnedest to get you back to Charlie and I don't want any trouble from you. Do you understand that?"

"Sure, Alice."

Alice pulled back so she could glare at her. "No trouble," she repeated sternly.

"Scout's honour."

Alice rolled her eyes in response to this. "Let me concentrate, now. I'm trying to see what he's planning."

Alice left her arm around Bella, but let her head fall back and closed her eyes. She pressed her free hand to the side of her face, rubbing her fingertips against her temple.

I settled back into my own seat and shut my eyes, pretending to be asleep. I felt the plane turning in the air, but I didn't know when we were there until the plane slammed down.

We ran towards our connection and Alice told me in passing that there was nothing new. I breathed a sigh of relief to myself. Nothing new… that's good right?

As soon as we were back on the plane, I checked my phone despite the nasty looks the stewards shot at me. They didn't dare talk to me though. I suppose I had that air around me, that makes humans realise that I'm not quite right, not quite… _normal, _I suppose. They didn't know it, but it was their instincts telling them that if they didn't stay away, they might end up being on the dinner menu.

I had several missed calls, one each from each member of the family. Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie. I deleted them all. I would deal with them alter. If there was going to be a later that is.

When night fell, mostly everyone fell asleep. Except for the stewards and two vampires of course. I pretended to sleep until I heard Alice hissing to Bella, who had been sleeping for not very long.

"What's wrong?"

"It's not wrong," Alice hissed, her eyes gleaming with faint hope as she smiled fiercely. "It's right. They're deliberating, but they've decided to tell him no."

"The Volturi?" Bella muttered, groggy from waking up.

"Of course, Bella, keep up. I can see what they're going to say."

An attendant asked if they wanted a pillow but tiptoed past me for when I heard him, I went back to pretending to be asleep. My eyes were shut, but my ears and nose were alert to the conversation in front of me.

Alice whispered that the Volturi denied Edward's request because they though he might have been useful to them. 'Wasteful' was the word Aro apparently used but Edward was formulating a plan, and was getting creative. The longer he spent of them, the better it was for us as it gave us more time.

I zoned out for their next discussion, where Alice actually promised Bella that she might turn her. Good. The less chance I have of killing her, the better. If she was strong and beautiful… it might save us. But transformations take days and we didn't have days.

"Go back to sleep," Alice encouraged after Bella argued with her. "I'll wake you up when there's something new."

"Right," Bella grumbled, unhappy but she did go back to sleep.

"Shayla?" Alice called my name softly.

I leant back over the seat. "Yessum?"

Alice peered up at me, anxious. "How you holding up?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

I sighed and glanced at Bella. "How could he do this? Especially to her… and to us?"

Alice shook her head. She needn't ask who 'he' was. "I really don't know Shay, I really don't know."

I shook my head too. "If the Volturi don't kill him, I will." I settled back down into my seat and before long, the sun began to brighten up the eastern sky. Alice snapped the shade closed and the noise woke Bella up.

"What's happening?"

"They've told him no," my sister whispered quietly. Her enthusiasm disappeared very quickly.

"What's he going to do?"

"It was chaotic at first. I was only getting flickers; he was changing plans so quickly."

"What kind of plans?" Bella pressed.

"There was a bad hour; he'd decided to go hunting."

I shot up to stare at her, worry etched all over my face. Bella looked confused.

"In the city," Alice explained. "It got very close. He changed his mind at the last minute."

"He wouldn't want to disappoint Carlisle," Bella mumbled.

"Probably," Alice agreed.

"Will there be enough time?" As Bella spoke, the plan began to angle downwards, and there was a shift in the cabin pressure.

"I'm hoping so – if he sticks to his latest decision, maybe."

"What is that?" Bella and I asked at the same time.

"He's going to keep it simple. He's just going to walk into the sun."

Walk into the sun… who could ignore that? A glorious immortal, sparkling for all of the humans to see. No Volturi guard would let him live. He would be torn apart, bitten, destroyed and burnt to a crisp… all for a few sparkles.

I shook my head, ridding the images in my mind as Alice and Bella continued to speak.

"Say," I cut in on their conversation. "How far is it from Florence to Volterra?"

Alice flashed me a grin. "That depends on how you fast you drive… Bella?"

Bella jerked her head to look at us, both grinning mad like monkeys. "Yes?" she asked.

"How opposed are you to grand theft auto?"

Approximately ten minutes later, we were screeching away in a bright yellow Porsche with the word TURBO scrawled in silver across the back. Everyone had stared at us as Bella and I jumped inside when Alice barked "Hurry, Bella, and Shayla!" We might have well been wearing balaclavas.

"Sheesh Alice," Bella complained. "Could you pick a more conspicuous car to steal?" I snickered at that remark.

The interior was black leather with dark tinted windows, almost like Carlisle's Mercedes. It felt safer inside.

Alice was already driving away, way too fast for Bella's liking, weaving through the slow airport traffic while Bella fumbled for her seat belt. I chuckled and just bounced around the backseat.

"The important question," Alice corrected, "is whether I could have stolen a faster car, and I don't think so. I got lucky."

"I'm not sure that will be very comforting at a roadblock."

For the first time in days, almost weeks, Alice laughed. "Trust me, Bella. If anyone sets up a roadblock, it will be _behind _us." She hit the gas then to prove her point.

We weaved through the Tuscan landscape then, the world outside flashing by almost as fast as if I was running, not flat-out, but still running. I had never been to Italy, but I still didn't pay attention to the scenery such as the hills or walled towns that resembled castles. This could be my last trip anywhere.

"Do you see anything more?" Bella asked.

"There's something going on," Alice muttered. "Some kind of festival. The streets are full of people and red flags. What's the date today?"

Bella sounded unsure. "The nineteenth, maybe?"

"Well, that's ironic. It's Saint Marcus Day."

"Which means?"

Alice chuckled darkly as I began to explain. "Volterra holds a celebration every year called Saint Marcus Cay. The legend says that a Christian missionary, Father Marcus – also known as Marcus of the Volturi in fact – drove all of the vampires from Volterra over fifteen hundred years ago. The story claims he was martyred in Romania, still trying to drive away the vampire scourge. Of course, that's bullshit – he never left the city. But that's where all the superstitions like crosses and garlic come from. _Father _Marcus used them so successfully. And vampires don't rouble Volterra, so they most work." I grimaced. "It's become more of a celebration of the city and recognition for the police force – after all Volterra is an amazingly safe city. The police get all of the credit. Ironic, no?"

Bella looked a little dim. "They're not going to be happy if Edward messes us Sain Marcus Day, are they?"

Alice shook her head, her expression grim. "No, they'll act very quickly."

Bella looked away, biting her bottom lip. Bleeding was not really the best idea now.

"He's still planning on noon?" she asked.

"Yes. He's decided to wait. And they're waiting for him."

"Tell me what I have to do."

Alice's eyes didn't drift from the winding road as the speedometer needle tipped more and more to the right.

"You don't have to do anything. He just has to see you before he moves onto the light. And he has to see you before he see Shayla or me."

"How are we going to work that?"

"I'm going to get you as close as possible, and then you're going to run in the direction I point you."

Bella nodded.

"Try not to trip," my sister then added. "We don't have time for a concussion today."

Bella groaned in response, probably at her klutziness.

"Shayla?" I snapped my head up to look at Alice as she gave me orders. "The rooftops are your goal, seeing as you're the best at climbing. Find something to blend it, find or steal a cloak, whatever, I don't care. You've got jeans on right?"

I glanced at my outfit. Long denim jeans, skate shoes, a flat-brim cap and the same black t-shirt with the My Chemical Romance concert t-shirt. "Yeah. Steal something to blend in, got it."

The sun continued to climb in the sky while Alice raced against it. It was too bright, and that was what had me worrying. Maybe he wouldn't feel the need to wait till noon after all.

"There," Alice suddenly said abruptly, pointing to the castle city atop the closest hill.

I stared at it with Bella, a new fear creeping in. It was very beautiful and that's what terrified me.

"Volterra," I announced in a flat, icy voice.


	19. Chapter 19: Welcome to Volterra

**I promised myself I'll have an update before the week is out and _yipee, _I did. Yay for Shay, Alice and Bella, they get to Volterra. But what will happen next? But we all know don't we ;) If you don't, you're not a Twilight fan! Haha, enjoy :D 3**

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Chapter 19: Welcome to Volterra

**Shayla's POV**

We wound up the hill at a crawl, as the road began to get too crowded with cars to weave through. Bella was panicking insanely and my sister was strained as she tried to soothe her.

"It's the only way in," my sister explained in a strained and slowly cracking voice.

I fiddled around in my bag until I pulled out the dark hoddie I packed. Pulling it on and pulling the hood around my head, so that most of my skin was out of view. The sleeves were extra long so I just pulled them down over my hands. This would be enough to protect from the sun's rays. Bella flashed me a curious look, but I shook myself mentally and ignored her.

We went, if it was possible, even slower up the hill. The sun glared down, like an angry hot face. As we reached the top, I could see cars parked along the side of the road and people getting out to walk the rest of the way. At first I thought it was just humans being impatient – but then, as we came out around a switchback, we saw the filled out parking lot as dozens of people walking through the gates. No one was being allowed the drive through.

"Alice," Bella whispered urgently, seeing the cars and what was going on.

"I know, she answered. Her face was chiselled from ice.

It was starting to get windy, one woman lost her scarf in the billowing wind as it whipped up from around her and flew into the air, as she hopped madly, trying to snatch it back though unsuccessfully. It was lost in the sea of red filing into the gates. Red was everywhere, red, red, red. Red robs, red hats, red scarfs, red flags…

"Bella," Alice started to speak. "I can't see what the guard will decide now – if this doesn't work, you're going to have to run along with Shayla. She'll have to leave you at some point though, so just keep running and asking for the Palazzo dei Priori, and keep running in the direction they tell you. Don't get lost."

"Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori, Palazzo dei Priori," Bella repeated under her breathe, trying to remember the name and to get it right.

"Or 'the clock tower'," I translated roughly for her, "if they speak English that is. Just keep asking if you can't find it."

"I'll go and try to find a secluded spot behind the city to go over the wall," Alice said as we crept even closer to the front of the line.

Bella nodded. "The Palazzo dei Priori," she repeated again, getting it perfect this time and glancing at me. I nodded, trying to encourage her.

"We can do this, Bella," I said to her. "We can and will, dammit! We just have to stay focused on Edward, okay?" She nodded, not quite paying attention.

"Edward will be under the clock tower, to the north of the square. There's a narrow alleyway on the right, and he'll be in the shadow there. You have to get his attention before he can move into the sun."

Bella kept nodding furiously as we inched towards the front of the line. The car in front U-turned and went to find a parking spot down the road. The uniformed man motion lazily, not paying attention. Alice accelerated, edging around him and heading for the gate. He shouted something at us, but held his ground, waving frantically to the next car to stop it from following our bad example.

The guard at the gate wore a matching uniform. As we approached him, the throngs of tourists passed, crowding the sidewalks, staring curiously at pushy, flashy Porsche.

The guard stepped carefully into the middle of the street. Alice angled the car carefully before she came to a full stop. The sun beat against the passenger side but threw the other side, mine and Alice's side, into shadow. Alice reached behind the seat to grab something from her bag, which I passed to her.

The guard came around the car with an irritated expression and tapped on her window angrily.

She rolled it down halfway, and he did a double take when he saw her face.

"I'm sorry, only tour buses are allowed in the city today, miss," he said in English, but with a heavy accent. He was apologetic, now, as if he wished he had better news for this strikingly beautiful sister of mine. Not beautiful like Rosalie, but still beautiful nevertheless, which apparently I was as well.

"It's a private tour," Alice replied, shooting a dazzling smile at him. She reached out the window, into the sunlight with something in her closed fist. I nearly cried out in panic when her hand reached into the sun, but I then saw the elbow-length tan glove she had on and I breathed out in relief.

The man took whatever she had in her hand and folded his fingers around it. He stared at the thick wad of cash. The outside note was a thousand dollar bill and I knew there may be many more in the bundle. "Is this a joke?" he mumbled.

Alice gave him a blinding smile. "Only if you think it'd funny."

He stared at her, eyes wide, before I glanced at my watch. We had five minutes left until Edward… yeah; we just had five minutes left. My breathing accelerated and I clenched my jaw shut, but my hands shook with panic. Fear coursed through me. We were going to be too late if we didn't hurry up… And Edward would die…

As if she read my mind (ironic isn't it?), Alice hinted to the man, "I'm in a wee bit of a hurry."

Less then a few seconds later, we were speeding down a red flag-covered lane, with Alice driving in quick starts and stops while she kept urging Bella that is was, 'Just a little further."

We didn't have to stop for cars but avoid the crowds of people. They squeezed into doorways when we travelled down narrow lanes, which were obviously not meant for cars, with the red flags on either side nearly meeting in the middle of the narrow road. The buildings were taller, and no sunlight touched the ground here. Alice turned down another lane with no people and over hanging balconies and fire escapes.

"Shayla, this is your land," Alice said to me as I tightened my jacket around me. I eyed the overhanging structures cockily. A flag would make a great cloak to protect my skin from the sun, maybe.

"I'll see you later, Bella," I said to Bella and before she could say anything in response, I wound down the window and eased my upper body out of it, using the room as a way to pull myself out, as leverage. I then pushed myself onto the roof and stood, like I was car surfing. I crouched down as Alice sped up and then leapt onto a fire escape, which was on one of the final buildings before the square.

I ran along the tile roof and kept low, watching the red crowd just as I saw the Porsche stop in the square. Bella got out and ran through the crowd straight through the middle towards the clock tower on the other side.

She was shoved the wrong direction by the crowd but kept pushing on. She ran into the huge fountain in the middle, but launched herself over the low wall of it, and ran straight through the freezing water.

I saw my brother in the shadows of the alley, standing perfectly relaxed. Eyes closed with rings of purple shadows beneath them, palms turned forward, his arms at his side… A peaceful expression was upon his face, like he was in a very pleasant dream. His chest was bare, I saw, with his shirt at his feet.

The clock then began to ring loudly, about to give twelve for midday. A few down the square, mostly children, covered their ears at the noise.

Bella pushed her way through the crowd, with no space to move between the red-robed people. And across the square, only a few dozen feet from Bella, Edward raised his foot to take the step that would set him right into the sun, and that would confirm his death.

_DONG… _She wasn't going to make it… I had to help her! No matter what it took, I was going to do my damn best to save my bro and Bella too! Screw the stinkin' Volturi, if they wanted to kill me when my family escaped unscathed… so be it.

I kept low on the rooftop and darted to the far side, and hurled myself over the edge to land on a balcony where a bright red robe was located, obviously taken off by someone as they visited their home for a brief second. I stepped into the shadows, removed my jumper, before I tossed on the robe and leapt off the balcony and then ran as fast as I could at a human speed towards the ally.

Suddenly, I heard Edward's voice and I sighed with relief. She made it. He was alive and so was she! And we were going to get home!

"Amazing… Carlisle was right."

"Edward!" Bella gasped, chocking on her own words. "You have to get back in the shadows. You have to move!"

Bella was panting and seemed like she was struggling to force him back into the shadows.

"I can't believe how quick it was," Edward mused, blissfully unaware of the danger he was setting us all in by not moving, "I didn't feel a thing – they're very good. _Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty,_" he then quoted, and I recognised the line Romeo said in the tomb to Juliet. The clock above us boomed to its final chime as he continued to speak. "You smell exactly the same as always. So maybe this _is _hell. I don't care. I'll take it."

"I'm not dead," Bella interrupted, impatient. "And neither are you! Please, Edward, we have to move. They can't be far away."

There was a noise of struggling before Edward asked, "What was that?"

"We're not dead, not yet! But we have to get out of here before the Volturi –"

I heard Edward fling himself back and him growling. And then I peered around the corner to see two shapes dishevel themselves from the shadows. One was huge, thick and hulking, almost as big and muscular as Emmett under his cloak; the other was smaller, leaner but just as muscular.

"Greetings, gentlemen," Edward said calmly, ignoring me as I tried to hide myself from the shadows. "I don't think I'll be requiring your services today. I would appreciate it very much if you would send my thanks to your masters."

"Shall we take this conversation to a more appropriate venue?" A smooth voice whispered menacingly, an unknown voice to me, and coming from the big one.

"I don't believe that would be necessary." Edward's voice was colder, harder then it was before. "I know your instructions. I haven't broken any rules."

"Felix merely meant to point out the proximity of the sun," the other, smaller shadow said in a soothing tone. "Let us seek better cover." I recognised their voice as the head Volturi tracker, Demetri. He was talented, a thousand times better then James. He picked up someone's 'voice' or 'tenor' of their thoughts and would track them over immense distances for enormous amounts of time.

"I'll be right behind you," Edward agreed. "Shayla, why don't you take Bella back to the square to enjoy the festival?"

"No, bring both the girl, and the young one," the first one, Felix, said, somehow injecting a leer into his threatening whisper. They thought I was young, and not much of a problem to them. I hissed at him and from beneath the safety of his hood, Felix smirked, knowing that he had upset me.

"You can go to hell," I growled through clenched teeth but before I can get another word in, Edward held up a hand to silence me as he kept holding his protective stance on Bella up against the alley wall. I moved to stand next to him, forming a wall around her.

"I don't think so," he then responded calmly to them, basically rewording my original statement.

"No," Bella mouthed behind us, just as Demetri and Felix exchanged sour and frustrated looks. Apparently, the Volturi hated even numbers, even if they thought one was barely a challenge. But I was. I could tear their limbs off their bodies, crush their spines, shred their faces, rip their dead hearts from their chests if I wanted too… and burn them in a blaze, all by myself. I could do it, I believed I could. I believed I could.

As I imagined killing the two guards in front of me, the conversation kept going and I blanked out before I heard Edward snarl, "Then_ I'm_ afraid I will be unable to accept Aro's invitation, Demetri."

"That's just fine," the hulking Felix purred.

"Aro will be disappointed," Demetri sighed.

They then strode closer towards the mouth of the ally, attempting to force us deeper into the shadows and to avoid a scene. No light touched them as they were deep in their dark cloak's protective shadows. I took an automatic step back, feeling threatened by the two warriors, but I still bared my teeth menacingly and growled, low and deep in my chest.

But Edward didn't move an inch.

Suddenly, light footsteps caught our attention. I whipped my head around to see Alice dance out of the shadows.

"Let's behave ourselves, shall we?" she suggested coldly as she came to my other side. "There are ladies present."

"I'm not a lady?" I muttered under my breath, half upset but I wasn't fussed about it right now. We could deal with that matter later – if we were still alive that is.

Then the two guards exchanged more sours looks. Now they were outnumbered fully, two to three. Thy straightened up as the wind swirled through the ally, ruffling their black cloaks.

"We're not alone," Alice reminded them.

We glanced over our shoulders to see a small family staring at us, a few yards away in the centre of the square, the father, I assumed, went a few feet back and tapped a red-blazered man's shoulder before they started to talk and gesture at us.

Demetri shook his head in an irritated way. "Edward, let's be reasonable."

"Let's," he agreed. "And we'll leave quietly now, with none the wiser."

Demetri sighed again with frustration. "At least let us discuss this more privately."

Behind us, more men joined the family as they watched us. Edward's protective stance was causing their alarm but they couldn't do anything but watch us cautiously. I wanted them to leave before they got killed by the vampires. Whether it would be them, the Volturi… or me.

Edward's teeth suddenly snapped together. "No," he growled, and I could not tell who he was talking too.

"Enough!" A high voice called from somewhere as suddenly, a sinister but rather small, new, cloaked vampire began to slink toward us from the depths of the alleyway.

We turned to face the new stranger.


	20. Chapter 20: Chill

**Sorry for the lack of the update! I was rushing to get CtL (Clinging to Life) done and I had a few oneshots getting done. This is a short filler so don't expect much. But I promise - the fun will start when we get Shayla in with the Volturi! And she knows a few members plus an old flame ;) And there will be conflict! No peaceful stuff like in the books. This will be a hardcore, ass-whooping fight featuring Edward, Shayla and Alice versus Felix, Jane and Demetri!**

**Now enjoy Chapter 20!**

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Chapter 20: Chill

**Shayla's POV**

The newcomer was small, little, and above all, insignificant to us all. I nearly scoffed at her size, if she was a girl that is. It was hard to tell. She was just as tiny as Alice but her size seemed to be of no problem to the other guards, Felix and Demetri, as they relaxed their offensive positions to blend in again with the shadows of the opposite wall. Alice moved in front of me and blocked me from her, protecting me. Why? I could take her if I wanted to, she was smaller then Alice, and if it wasn't for Alice's abilities, she had yet to beat me in a fight.

Despite her small size, the newcomer was very pretty. She was slim and androgynous under the cloak, and could have easily been recognised for a young boy except for one thing. She let down the hood of the cloak and allowed us to gaze at her beautiful face. She was wide-eyed with full lips along with short, blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. Eyeliner surrounded her red eyes which gave her a sinister look and that was what made me suddenly recognised her. Only one vampire had that look in her eyes.

The petite vampire glared at Edward abruptly and he too, dropped his arms and relaxed – but in defeat.

"Jane," he sighed in resignation. In front of me, Alice folded her arms across her chest, her expression probably impassive. I let loose a small rumbling growl to show my distaste for the situation

Jane, as I slowly recognised her to be, took no time in submitting orders. "Aro sent me to find out what was taking so long," she said with her childish voice, annoyance floating in. She didn't want to be the one fetching us. "Follow me," she then ordered before she turned and drifted forward, going back the way she came.

Felix smirked and gestured for us to go first.

Alice walked after Jane at once, her hand wound around my own, as she tugged me along. I followed her and she kept a tight hold on me. Like she was making sure I wasn't going to run. It was like… she was protecting me from myself. Even though I was a bit aggravated at the fact she was treating me like a little kid, another part of me was silently thanking her for it.

Inside, as we walked along the slowly narrowing and downward sloping alleyway, I was beginning to feel terrified. I knew what the Volturi would do to us. Kill us, the vampires, and then, perhaps, eat Bella. I nearly shuddered at the thought. I didn't to die; I wasn't even near fifty years old yet! And Bella… she was barely eighteen! She needn't die yet!

We kept on walking until I heard Edward speak behind me. I turned my head ever so slightly to glance at him. "Well, Alice…" he began, in a conversational tone as we walked further into the darkness ahead. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you here. As for you Shayla…"

_You're an asshole, Edward, you know that right? _I snarled at him in my head, causing him to smile grimly.

"It was my mistake," Alice answered in the same tone as Edward. "It was my job to set it right."

"What happened?" he asked, trying to sound disinterested but I knew him. He secretly needed to know but he didn't want Jane, Felix and Demetri to find out.

"It's a long story." Alice's eyes flickered towards Bella with disapproval, while I did my best to stop myself recalling all of my memories of her, they still bubbled to the surface in a volcano-like fashion. Alice kept going on. "In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about extreme sports these days."

"Hm," Edward grumbled curtly as he saw all of the memories in our minds, sounding rather impolite for the delicate ears behind us.

We came around a loose curve in the alley until Alice picked up the pace a little as we strode towards a brick wall, just as the little Jane disappeared. Alice released my hand and dropped her self into a tiny hole in the stones, set into the deepest part of the street. It looked like a drain, and I eyed the grate suspiciously before I saw Bella and Edward coming up behind us, with Bells looking very worried.

I sighed mentally and jumped down the hole. The wind whistled past me for a short time before I saw Alice take two steps back so I could land crouched, one hand helping to brace my fall that would have severely injured a human, or worse, killed them. Beneath the darkness of her cloak (she had pulled the hood up again), I saw Jane roll her eyes. According to her, I assumed, we vegetarians were an embarrassment to the vampire race.

Edward started to talk but I couldn't quite catch his words. And then suddenly, I heard Bella call our names as she swung her legs into the hole. "Alice? Shayla?"

"We're here Bella," Alice called up, as she got underneath Bella, ready to catch. I went to the other side to help.

Edward lowered her into the blackness. "Ready?"

"Drop her," we called up together.

In a flash, Bella was dropped by _'Assward'_ (my new nickname for him. It could be worse – I could think up a lotof name more horrible for him), biting her lip furiously before she landed on our rock-hard arms. Alice slipped her off and held her upright while Bella rubbed her arms painfully. She was going to have some bruises for sure.

I glanced up the see the sun disappear as Edward leapt down too, followed quickly by two more shapes. And then we set off walking again, with Bella tight against Edward's chest. Somehow, the grate above us slid shut with a heavy clanging, trapping us in the dark, dank sewers of Volterra.

Alice was scared, like me. Her lips were pressed into a tight line as her forehead creased with worry. Behind us, the only sounds were Bella's rapid breathing, her equally as rapid heartbeat, and her even footsteps on the cold, uneven, stone ground. Every few minutes, Felix or Demertri (I couldn't tell which one) would sigh impatiently or mutter curses under their breath.

We suddenly began to speed up as the path began to go at a slow descent between our feet, taken us deeper into the earth. Alice was a lot closer to me then normal and she kept shooting me 'be calm' looks. I almost wished Jasper was here. We could calm us all down. Or even Mom. If someone could sooth me to be composed, it was her. She knew exactly what to say and do – exactly like a real mother. Exactly like my mother would have know how to do. The sudden subject of my mother brought a long lost memory to me.

_A woman of thirty reached out to me as I played happily in the dirt as a small child, a typical tomboy. She murmured unheard words before she brushed me off and picked me up. I let out a cooing, baby laugh before my mother kissed my forehead and carried me away._

My only memory of her… And I was going to die soon. Oh well, on the bright side, I was going to see Ma again. She would be in heaven with Pa… Of course, I would miss my other family, Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper but there wasn't much I could do about it. All hope was lost. I seriously hoped I would get into heaven. I hoped my soul was still pure enough for God to let me in, even if it was only for a few seconds.

The sewer seemed to be getting lighter. My perfect topaz (but slowly fading) eyes started to pick up tendrils of light, snaking up around the walls. The blackness was slowly turning to dark grey. Along the stone wall, black liquid seeped out the cracks like black ink, like blood.

I heard Bella start to shake behind me; her teeth were chattering. Out of coldness or fear? I half-turned out of curiosity and concern for her welfare but quickly changed my mind when I saw Edward's determined gaze/glare. He moved away from her, his obviously frigid skin causing pain for her.

But she apparently had other ideas. "No-n-no," she chattered, throwing her arms around him, not caring if she froze.

He chafed his hand along her arm, attempting to warm her body with the friction created between them. Behind us one guard, Felix I assumed, sighed impatiently to Bella's slow human progress.

Finally, we reached the end of the tunnel, and in our way, there stood a thick grate. The bars were thicker then my arms, unbendable to a human, but very much breakable to an immortal. A smaller door made of thinner, interlacing bars stood open in the middle, large enough for us to fit throw, small enough for it to be shut closed, even by a innocent, insignificant and barely strong human. I noted the rough surface of the worn bars and ran a single cold, white finger over it, feeling its texture, its oldness, its breakability…

We hurried through to the brighter stone before us through the cage-like bars, before the door shut through with as heavy _clang! _The snap of a lock followed. I glanced behind, to see Demetri smirking at Bella, though she couldn't see. I had the sudden feeling of being in a max-security prison now, just one we couldn't bust out of, even as vampires.

On the other side on the room, beneath the low-hanging room and illuminated by the hanging lanterns and torches situated in stone brackets on the walls, was a low, hanging window. It was very thick – I could tell this because it was hanging open.

I set my jaw tight and let loose a low, thunderous growl. I was determined now. Would we win or lose this fight? I didn't know the answer to that.

And so, we were led through the door, to go to our fate and destiny I suppose.


	21. Chapter 21: Trial

**I'm guessing you all hate me for how late this chapter is? I have an excuse - computer problems, lol. **

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Chapter 21: Trial

**Shayla's POV**

The room we entered now was brightly-lit hallway, the floor carpeted in industrial grey while the walls were off-white. Common, regular, rectangle florescent lights were spaced evenly around the ceiling. It was noticeably warmer here.

Edward glowered down the hallway at a shirt, black shrouded figure standing by an elevator. Alice tugged on my elbow, to make me walk, before we entered it along with the Volturi guards, Bella and Edward

Once inside, the others let their hoods fall down. Felix had short black hair while Demetri's was slightly longer and a frosted brown colour. Their skin had an olive complexion, which looked odd compared to their chalky pallor. Their clothes were dark, modern but still seemed to hit at older designs. And their eyes… they were brilliant crimson, darkening until they were pitch black around the pupil. Edward kept rubbing Bella's arm.

The elevator ride was short and incredibly silent. My delicate ears kept picking up Bella's irregular heartbeat and her equally as uneven breathing. We then stepped out into what could have been a posh office reception area. The walls were panelled in wood, the floor carpeted in thick, deep green. There were no windows but large, colourful painting instead; these were of the Tuscan countryside. Pale leather couched were arranged in cosy groupings, and the glossy tables held crystal vases full of vibrantly coloured bouquets, The flowers' smell greatly reminded me of a funereal home.

In the middle of the room was a high, polished, mahogany counter/ desk. The woman behind it turned to face our group, and shock crossed her face before she rearranged into a more professional sight.

She was very tall, with dark skin and green eyes. She was very pretty and would have fit in anywhere else – but not here, for she was every bit as human as Bella. I couldn't comprehend the reason why she was working here, surrounded by vampires.

She smiled politely in welcome. "Good afternoon, Jane," she greeted before she glanced around at us all.

Jane nodded. "Gianna." She continued o to the back of the room, and through some double doors. We followed. As Felix passed Gianna, he winked at her, causing her to giggle. Demetri rolled his eyes, probably annoyed at this act.

On the other side of the doors was a young person who I could never forget. He could have been Jane's twin, easily, which he was. He was wearing a pearl-grey suit, had darker coloured hair then his sister, his lips weren't quite as full, but he was just a lovely and was as handsome as she was pretty.

"Jane," he greeted, smiling and reaching for her.

"Alec," she responded, rather cheerfully, before she accepted his embrace and allowed him to kiss her on both sides of her pale cheeks.

And then he looked at us. "They send you out for one and you come back with three… and a half," he noted before he spotted me and raised an eyebrow on his perfect face. "Nice work."

Jane laughed, sounding almost like a baby's cooing.

"Welcome back, Edward," Alec then greeted my brother. "You seem in a better mood."

"Marginally," he answered, in a flat voice. I glanced at his hard face and realised that his mood has severely darkened from before.

Alec chuckled before he glanced at me. "Well, well, well," he started, smirking slightly. "Look what we have here. Little Shay, isn't it?"

I growled at him. "Ha, ha, ha, very funny, Alec. It's not like you can talk."

There was once a time where I had lived with the Volturi. It was okay, even though I had lasted for a week. It had been a good learning experience for me, and even I as a newborn had managed to resist the sweet call of human blood and go hunting outside of the city, feeding off the Italian wildlife.

Alec had been given the position of being my personal bodyguard, or rather, the 'babysitter', a name we had conned out of it. He had been nearly unbearable for the most part because he was unhappy with this duty, but then, when it was time for me to leave, something amazing had happened.

"_Shayla!"_

_I spun around in the pouring rain, a rare occurrence in this town, to see Alec sprint out of the castle to blur to my side. He had the hood of his cloak down so the rain was wetting his hair, making it stick down onto his pale, beautiful face, and his expression was anxious._

"_Shayla…" he repeated, before he stopped right in front of me. I raised an eyebrow, prompting him to speak. He opened his mouth a few times, for once lost for words, before he spoke, saying my nickname. "Shay…"_

"_Yes?" I asked, slightly annoyed by this point. "What do you want, Alec?"_

"_To give you this, you're soaping wet." He took off his cloak and put it around me, with his hand brushing my cheek as he set the hood up. There was a look in his eyes, an odd look, and a rather weird look._

"_Alec…" I whispered as he took my hand in his. Alec was still short, but was taller then Jane, and so, as we stood there, his perfect face was almost level with mine._

"_I need to thank you, for teaching me that there was more to this life then just killing," he murmured softly, his red eyes gazing into my gold ones. "I needn't be so bitter and sadistic all the time. You made me realise I need to love; I need somebody to love Shayla."_

_Ii froze in place. Was he trying to say that he loved me? If he was, that was bad. Not because I didn't love him but because, he was a Volturi guard. It was like I was a gazelle, and he was the lion. We were too different. And if he wanted me to stay… I couldn't. I needed to go home, to see Carlisle, Esme, Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and Jasper. I missed them terribly._

"_Alec, don't do this," I whispered. "You and I are too different. We could never be together, even if I loved you back. I need to leave, to get away from here. I'm sorry."_

_I pressed my lips to his hair, the closest I'll ever get to kissing him, before the car, driven by Felix, rolled up to the kerb. I got in the back seat and as we drove away, I could clearly see the hurt on Alec's face._

He was not completely over this, I could see, but he still put on a brave face for the audience around him. He grinned widely while he hugged his sister against his short frame. "Yes, yes, I know. But it is nice to see you Shayla, even though it's under…" He glanced around our party, his eyes resting on the obviously freezing Bella, the dark look on Edward's face, and Alice, looking very, very calm, "rather _difficult _circumstances."

I frowned at him. "Humph. Yes, a pity I suppose."

He gave a curt nod before he spoke again, this time to Edward. "And this is the cause of all the trouble?" he asked.

Edward smiled, with his expression contemptuous. But then, he froze like a rabbit caught in headlights.

"Dibs," a casual voice from behind called.

Edward whirled around and snarled at Felix. The hulking vampire smiled in a smirking sort of way, before he raised his hand, with the palm up, and curled his finger twice, a challenge, an invitation for Edward, to bring it on.

Alice touched Edward's arm. "Patience," she cautioned, before they exchanged a long, significant glance. She must have mentally said something about Felix because Edward took a long, deep breath, before he nodded and turned back to Alec.

"Aro will be pleased to see you," Alec said, pretending that nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Let's not keep him waiting," Jane suggested.

Edward nodded once.

Jane and Alec led the way, holding hands, before we followed them down an ornate, wide hallway. We ignored the door at the end, door sheathed entirely out of gold, but stopped hallway down the hallway to go through a small panel, which Jane slid across the reveal a small, plain, wooden door. It wasn't locked. We stepped into the stone antechamber, before we were led into the next room.

It was very different to all of the other hallways and rooms we have passed through. It appeared to be a wide, round castle turret, but wasn't too large. We were about, oh, two stories up, with long windows that threw bright slits of sunlight onto the stone floor. There was hardly any furniture, save for a few stone benches, and then three massive wooden chairs, set up on a stone platform that had stairs. They were spaced unevenly, and curved with the room. There was another drain in the centre of the room. Another exit, perhaps?

The room wasn't empty. A dozen or so vampires were in it, assembled in groups and speaking in casual conversational tones. Their voices were just a barely audible hum in the air around us. As I watched, a pair of women in sundresses passed through a patch of sunlight and, like a mirror or piece of glass, they threw rainbows of light around the room.

The faces turned towards us as we walked in, some of quiet interest, some of curious surprise, and the others were of indifference and disgrace. We were a disgrace with our lifestyle, our diet, and of the company we kept. But we weren't.

The immortals were dressed in clothing that wouldn't have stood out on the street below. Inconspicuous items like jeans and cargo pants, and t-shirts, both long-sleeved and short-sleeved. But the man who spoke first was wearing something entirely different, a long, pitch-black robe. If my perfect vision hadn't of detected it, I would have thought his night-coloured hair was the hood of his robe.

"Jane, dear one, you've returned!" he cried in obvious delight, his voice almost sounding like soft sighing.

He drifted forward then, and the movement flowed with such surreal grace that I had only seen with Alice, whose every movement was almost like dancing.

His face was not unnaturally attractive like the rest of us, but old and paper-like. Yet, despite this, it was still beautiful, in a weird, odd way. HE didn't approach alone, but surrounded by other guards. His features were perfect, his skin a translucent white, a shocking contrast to his hair, and his eyes were red, displaying his diet of human blood. But they had a milky tone to it, clouded almost; and I wondered if his vision was affected by it.

He glided to Jane, took her face in his hands, kissed her lightly on the lips, before he floated back a step.

She bowed her head a little, a sign of respect, before she answered, "Yes, Master." She smiled, the expression made her look like an angelic child. "I brought him back alive, just as you wished."

"Ah Jane…" He smiled too, clearly pleased. "You are such a comfort to me."

He turned his misty eyes towards us, and the expression upon his face heightened, to one of ecstaticness.

"And Alice, and Bella too! As well as the young Shayla!" he rejoiced, clapping his pale hands together. "This is a happy surprise! Wonderful!"

Bella stared in shock at him. He was talking to us as if we were not outlaws about to be persecuted, but old friends who had unexpectedly dropped by.

He turned to the hulking Felix. "Felix, be a dear and tell my brothers about our company. They wouldn't want to miss this."

"Yes Master." Felix nodded and zipped out of the room, the same way we came.

"You see, Edward?" Edward's face snapped up to gaze at the strange vampire, who I knew not-so well. "What did I tell you? Aren't you glad that I didn't give you what you wanted yesterday?"

"Yes, Aro, I am," Edward agreed, his arm tightening around Bella's waist.

"I love a happy ending," Aro then sighed happily. "They are so rare. But I want the whole story. How did this happen? Alice?" He turned his misty-eyed gaze towards her, curiosity etched all over his ancient face. "Your brother seemed to think you were infallible, but apparently there was some mistake."

"Oh, I'm far from I'm far from infallible," Alice answered, looking perfectly calm and at ease… except for the fact her hands were balled up into tiny fists. Alice might be small, but she can fight just as well as the rest of us, perhaps even better with some help from her premonition gift. An ability that tells you which way your opponent's going to strike, when he's going to try and rip your head off… that would be helpful but as Alice has just claimed, not as perfect as it seems.

"You're too modest," Aro chided lightly. "I've seen some of your more amazing exploits, and I must admit that I've never observed anything like your talent. Wonderful!"

Alice's golden eyes flickered a glance towards Edward. Aro did not miss it.

"I'm sorry; we haven't been properly introduced at all, have we? It's just that I feel like I know you already, and I tend to get ahead of myself. Your brother introduced us yesterday, in a peculiar way. You see, I share some of your brother's talent, only I am limited in a way he is not." The ancient vampire shook his head; his tone was clearly envious.

"And also exponentially more powerful," Edward added dryly. He glanced at Alice first, and then I, before he began to explain, more to my sister then me, for I already knew of Aro's mysterious talent. "Aro needs physical contact to hear your thoughts, but he hears much more then I do. You know I can only hear what's passing through your head in the moment. Aro hears every thought your mind has ever had."

Alice raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised at this news, and Edward inclined his head slightly. I myself just stared forward, counting the cracks in the sloping wall before us.

Aro didn't miss that exchange either.

"But to be able to hear from a distance…" he sighed. "That would be so _convenient_."

He looked over our shoulders then. I turned to look then, and so did my family, and Bella. Everyone else's head turned to look, including Jane, Alec, and Demetri, who stood silently beside us.

Felix strode in then, with two more black-robed men behind him, who seemed to float when they walked. Both looked very much like Aro – one even had the same flowing, black hair, while the other's was snowy white, a odd contrast with his chalky, pale skin as it was almost identical in colour, that brushed his shoulders.

"Marcus, Caius, look!" Aro then crooned. "Bella is alive after all, and Alice and Shayla is here with her! Isn't that wonderful!"

Neither of them looked happy, like the word _wonderful _wouldn't be their first choice of words for this certain situation. The dark-haired one, Marcus, looked utterly bored, like he had been for the last thousand years or so, perhaps of Aro's enthusiasm. The snowy-haired one, Caius, had a sour expression. He had quite a temper and more the once had I upset him during my brief stay here.

Caius ignored us and drifted past, gliding to one of the thrones set up a small set of stone stairs. The other went to go as well, but paused beside Aro, and lightly touched his hand to Aro's palm. Aro raised one black brow, before Marcus dropped his hand and went to go back to his throne, leaving the one in the middle that was slightly set forward free for Aro.

"Thank you Marcus," Aro said. "That was interesting." Marcus must have been telling Aro his thoughts.

Marcus didn't look interested. Instead he set himself down in his throne, just as a pair of females in sundresses went to stand beside Caius, while two males in suits went behind Marcus. The idea of vampire's needing guards was preposterous, but I would imagine that in a battle, the old one's were very frail, just like their skin suggested.

Aro was shaking his head. "Amazing," he said. "Simply amazing."

Alice's expression was frustrated. I suppose mine must have been as well because Edward turned to us and whispered under his breath in a swift, low voice. "Marcus sees relationships. He's surprised by the intensity of ours."

Aro smiled. "So convenient," he repeated softly to himself, before he spoke to us once more. "It takes quite a lot to surprise Marcus, I can assure you."

I glanced at Marcus, who was staring out the window, reminding me of a bored child in a classroom, and I believed that. I had not known of Marcus' gift; I wasn't informed that he _was_ gifted at all.

"It's just so difficult to understand, even now," Aro mused staring at Edward's arm wrapped around Bella. "How can you stand to be so close to her like that?"

"It's not without effort," my brother answered quite calmly,

"But still – _la tua cantante_! What a waste!"

Edward chuckled, though without humour. "I look at it more as a price."

Aro was sceptical. "A very high price."

"Opportunity cost," Edward retorted.

Aro laughed. "If I hadn't smelled her through your memories, I wouldn't have believed the call of anyone's blood could be so strong. I've never felt anything like it myself. Most of us would trade much for such a gift, and yet you…"

"Waste it," Edward finished, with his tone sarcastic now.

Aro laughed again. "Ah, how I miss my friend Carlisle! You remind me of him – only he was not so angry."

"Carlisle outshines me in many other ways as well," Edward reminded the ancient.

"I certainly never thought to see Carlisle bested for self-control of all things, but you put him to shame."

"Hardly." Edward sounded impatient now, as if he just wanted Aro to quite messing around with the preliminaries. It scared me; I didn't want to think of what would follow.

"I am gratified by his success," Aro mused. "Your memories of him are quite a gift for me, though they astonish me exceedingly. I am surprised by how it… _pleases _me, his success in this unorthodox path his chosen. I expected that he would waste, weaken with time. I'd scoffed at his plan to find other's who would share his peculiar views. Yet, somehow, I'm happy to be wrong."

No one replied to this little speech but I swear I saw Alice tense slightly. My right hand curled into a fist at my side while my left began to tingle slightly. I was angry, angry that Aro had scoffed at my father for wanting not to be a monster. That he didn't expect him to find love or happiness. That he wouldn't get a family like him…

"But _your _restraint!" Aro sighed. "I did not know such strength was possible. To inure yourself against such a siren call, not just once but again and again – if I had not felt it myself, I would not have believed."

Edward's face looked calm, but I knew him well enough as my brother to know that _something _was seething below the surface.

"Just remembering how she appeals to you…" Aro chuckled. "It makes me thirsty."

Edward tensed and I was surprised when I let loose a hiss, but I was more astonished when Alice hissed along with me. I saw Aro staring curiously at us, before he spoke back to Edward, removing his mystified gaze from my face.

"Don't be disturbed," Aro reassured him, perhaps as well as us, even though his eyes were not on us no more. "I mean her no harm. But I am _so _curious, about one thing in particular." He eyed Bella with bright, sudden interest. "May I?" he asked Edward.

"Ask _her_," Edward suggested in a flat voice, making it rather clear that he did not control or speak for Bella.

"Of course, how rude of me!" Aro exclaimed. "Bella, I'm fascinated that you are the one exception to Edward's impressive talent – so very interesting that such a thing occurs! And I was wondering, since our talents are similar in many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to try – to see if you're an exception for _me_, as well?"

Bella's eyes flashed up to Edward's face in terror, before they darted over to Alice's face, smooth despite the outburst she had earlier, and then mine, where I had a deep scowl at this odd and abnormal request. Bella looked at Edward again who nodded in encouragement. Was it because he knew she was safe? Or for was that she had no choice.

She raised her trembling hand, far worse then mine, and took an unsteady step forward. Aro drifted closer, his expression meant to be one of reassurance, but it was too alien, too frightening, and too confident. If I was human like Bella, I would have been terrified. But she was braver then I, in _so _many ways. One day, I would tell her.

He reached out and took her hand in both of his, and stared down at her eyes with his filmy ones. He then shut them as he concentrated on shifting through her mind, like he was a gold-digger, searching for precious minerals.

As we watched, his face altered. The confidence that had been plastered on before was melting away, as the assurance wavered slightly, before it formed first doubt, and then incredibility. But then he replaced it with a friendly mask and released her hand.

"So very interesting," he said, as he drifted back. Bella stepped back as well and Edward immediately re-wrapped his arm around her waist.

I glanced at him and, though it was composed, it had a tiny bit of smugness on it. I resisted the urge to smirk widely. I glanced at Alice beside me, and she gave me a reassuring grin for a spilt second, before her face regained it's expressionless state from before.

Aro continued to drift with a thoughtful expression. He was quiet for a moment, his eyes flickering between the four of us. Then, abruptly, he shook his head.

"A first," he said to himself. "I wonder if she's immune to our other talents…" He turned and glanced at the tiny Jane, who was standing off to the side of us, next to her brother. "Jane?"

"No!" Edward suddenly snarled. Alice leapt forward and grabbed his wrist. He shook her off.

Little Jane smiled up happily at Aro. "Yes, Master?"

Edward was snarling widely now and my chest was rumbling agreeing growls with him. His snarls were ripping and tearing from him, while he glared at Aro with murderous eyes. The room had gone quite still, like they were embarrassed at Edward's display of temper, like he was committing some embarrassingly social faux pas. Felix grinned and moved forward, but Aro held up a hand and glanced at him. The grin dropped from Felix's face, and he moved back into position to sulk.

Aro spoke to Jane. "I was wondering, my dear one, if Bella is immune to _you_."

Edward's snarls and growls increased in volume and tempo, as he let go of Bella and moved forward to stand in front of her, a protective stature, to hide her from view. Caius glided forward off his throne, his guards moving with him, to watch.

Jane turned towards us, with a wide and beatific smile spread across her face.

"Don't," Alice cried as Edward launched himself at the little girl.

He hadn't gone five steps towards her before a single word was uttered from her lips as she gazed at him. "Pain."

Edward froze involuntarily as he was caught in Jane's furious and painful stare. He cried out, before he started to writhe in pain. His muscles moved, like he was trying to run, but he was frozen in a world of pain. He dropped to his knees, still writhing in obvious agony, before he fell on his side, He was in agony, his face reflected that as his eyes clenched shut, just as Bella tried to run forward, but was caught in my arms, as Alice knelt down beside Edward, to try and help him unsuccessfully. "Stop! Stop! Just stop hurting him, please! Please!"

Aro watched her with curious eyes, before he inclined his head, with his gaze still on Bella and said, "Jane?"

Jane let Edward suffer for a few seconds longer, before she removed her pain causing gaze. "Master?"

As soon as she glanced away, Edward was still. He let out a groan before he started panted, despite not needing oxygen, while Alice leant over him. I released Bella to lean down on his other side. _Edward, are you okay? _He nodded his head, answering my mental question.

Meanwhile, Alec had darted past us and was my restraining Bella by locking her wrists in his hands just as Aro spoke again. "Go ahead, my dear."

Bella exhaled, but not in pain, as Alec turned his head to watch his sister. We all watched from the floor to see Jane set her gaze on Bella; her lips curled back to reveal her teeth. "This may hurt just a little," she teased, though, there was no touch of playfulness in her voice; she truly meant it. Her voice rang with malice.

Slowly, Bella stared back at Jane, as Jane's teethy smile began to waver.

Nothing happened.

Aro laughed loudly. Edward finally sprung up onto his feet and we followed him. Alec stepped back and allowed Bella to return to the safety of his arms. Alice took me the hand and we stood beside them, with her arms wrapped around me in a typical, big sister hug.

Jane hissed in frustration and leant forward, to get into a sickening crouch, and prepared to spring at Edward and Bella.

"Don't be put out dear one," Are said in a comforting voice before he placed a powder-white hand on her shoulder. "She confounds us all."

Jane straightened up and continued to glare just as her brother tucked her underneath his arm. He turned to gaze at us, with no expression at all on his angelic face.

"Ha, ha, ha!" Aro chortled again. "You're very brave, Edward, to endure that in silence. I asked Jane to do that to me, once – just out of curiosity." He shook his head in admiration.

All of us, except for Bella, just glared forward in disgust.

"So…" Aro began, as he finished laughing and glanced all round us. "What do we do with you now?"

I stiffened up. This was the moment we've been waiting for. Bella trembled as well, and I knew that she knew what was coming. We all did. This was the part where the trial ended, and where the execution began.


	22. Chapter 22: Execution

**Sorry for another late chappy! But there was a small family crisis and I had to help out while my Mum was in hospital. She's not better yet, so updates will be even slower now. No matter, read this nuntil I can get the next out! Haha !:D**

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**Chapter 22: Execution**

**Shayla's POV**

For the next few seconds, there was nothing but silence. But it was not the pleasant silence or even an awkward silence. It was like the calm before a storm, but this storm was going to be freakin' epic – and not in the good, awesome way. We were going to die. We had been put on trial, and now it was time for the execution.

"I don't suppose you have changed your mind?" Aro asked Edward and I stared at him. Wait, back up a moment; weren't we supposed to die now? "Your talent would be an excellent addition to our little company."

I felt myself suck in a sharp breath as I stared at Aro. Huh?

Edward hesitated before he answered, just as Jane and Felix grimaced at one another. "I'd… rather… not," Edward finally hissed out, weighing each word carefully before eh spoke them.

"Alice?" Aro then asked, still sounding a tad hopeful. "Would you perhaps be interested in joining with us?"

"No, thank you," she replied politely.

Aro turned his curious eyes onto my golden ones. "Shayla, what about you? You and your power would be a fine addition to the guard."

I bared my teeth slightly but tried to keep my answer as polite as possible. "No thanks, Aro."

He smiled sadly but then he spoke to Bella. "And you, Bella?" He raised his eyebrows as he spoke.

Edward hissed in a low tone, like he was trying to prevent anyone else from hearing it. But I stared at Bella as she trembled, before I grumbled a furious, but low, snarl. What was this? Was she being asked to really join? Or was it to stay for dinner? Alice hissed too, but glanced back and forth between the guards, Aro and Bella. She, Bella, looked positively scared as she stared at Aro.

The white-haired Caius broke the silence. "What?" he demanded of Aro, with his voice, no louder then a whisper, was flat.

"Caius, surely you see the potential," Aro chided him lightly and affectionately. "I haven't seen such a prospective talent since we found Jane and Alec. Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?"

Caius looked away, his expression scathing. Jane's eyes were furious with indignation at the thought of being compared to Bella, a mere mortal who defied her by not being been able to be tortured beyond reason.

Edward was fuming away at my side. I could hear him rumbling and as my chest too rumbled, occasionally breaking out in short bursts of snarls, Alice put her hand on my wrist. "Calm," she murmured softly. But I knew it wasn't my temper that was going to get us into trouble. I glanced at Edward; it was going to be _his_ that would probably get us hurt. And as I thought this, his form went a little tense, but other then that, he gave no other sign that he had heard me.

"No, thank you," Bella finally answered, her voice barely more then a whisper, and breaking up in terror.

Aro sighed unhappily. "That's unfortunate. Such a waste."

Edward hissed. "Join or die, is that it? I suspected as much when we were brought to _this _room. So much for your laws." His delivery of his words was odd, like he had chosen them rather carefully.

"Oh course not," Aro blinked, astonished that he had come to such a conclusion. And quite frankly, I believed Edward about what he had spoken before. He would know wouldn't he? "We were already convened here, Edward, awaiting Heidi's return. Not for you."

"Aro," Caius hissed. "The law claims them."

Edward glared at the white-haired ancient. "How so?" he demanded. Of course he already knew, but he was probably trying to get him to say it out loud, so Alice, Bella and I could know what the hell he was going on about.

Caius pointed a bony, skeletal finger at Bella. "She knows too much. You have exposed our secrets."

"There are a few humans in on the charade, here as well," Edward reminded him, making me think about the pretty human receptionist below.

Caius's face twisted into a new expression then at his words. Not quite a scowl, but not quite a smirk. Was it supposed to be a smile?

"Yes," he agreed, almost hissing the word out. "But when they are no longer useful to us, they will serve to sustain us. That is not your plan for this one. If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think not," he scoffed.

"I wouldn't–" Bella timidly spoke up, whispering against Edward's shirt, but Caius sent her an icy look which made her fall silent once more.

"Nor do you intend to make her one of us," Caius continued, a superior sneer now on his face. "Therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true, only _her _life is forfeit. You may leave if you wish."

Edward beared his teeth and beside me, Alice hissed with disapproval. A grumble rumbled in my throat, threatening to break forth from my lips in a guttural snarl.

"That's what I thought," Caius said smugly. Felix leaned forward eager and exchanged a glance with Caius. He nodded at the guard. "Felix?"

I'm not sure what happened next, but the next thing I knew, I heard Edward growl, "No!" and I leapt at Felix. He was on his back with my teeth inches from his face, my knees holding his legs down while my clawed hands gripped his shoulders.

But then I was thrown into the air like a ragdoll and something with the force of a wrecking ball smashed into me, to throw us against the opposite curved wall. The stone cracked beneath me just as searing pain shot through my neck. I could only let out a small cry of pain as the pain increased, sizzling through my whole neck as whatever had attacked me, tore at my throat like a dog. It was like an acid-coated blade was slicing itself into my neck, going deeper and making jagged, uneven cuts.

The thing leapt down, and I landed crouched, holding my neck as I felt my stone skin crumble beneath my finger, for someone had almost sliced my head off with heir teeth. Felix grinned devilishly at me and made a 'Bring it on' motion with his hand before he sliced his finger across his throat in the 'You're dead' motion.

I bared my teeth menacingly and growled at him, before I got up, though a little bit wobbly on my feet. Underneath my hand, I could feel my neck reattaching itself to my head while the scar developed. Another one for the collection.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me. Jane's, Alec's, Demetri's, the ancients (even bored Marcus looked slightly curious) and my family as well, even human Bella. She clutched at Edward as she watched me standing dazed across from Felix. His chest rumbled before he charged at me, like a Rhino charging a human.

But then, someone cried out "Stop!" and Felix halted in his tracks. His eyes rolled back in their sockets as he fell to his knees.

Around his feet, a faint clear mist shimmered, coming from Alec's body, which stood off to the side, eyes focused on the fallen guard. His dark eyes glanced at mine for a brief second before he spoke to Felix. "Next time, big guy, pick on someone your own size."

Aro looked worried, as he glanced between us. He obviously did not wish for this outcome to come about. Alice danced over to me, and tugged me back by my hand to besides Edward and Bella, fussing over my neck at the same time. "Where are you hurt?" she whispered. "Does it sting much?"

"Damn it, Alice, I'm fine!" I growled furiously under my breath, but allowed her to examine the thick scar that ran around my throat; I could feel her fingers trace it.

Aro looked unhappy now but then he spoke, holding a hand up to Felix to stop him. "But unless… unless you intend to give her immortality?"

Edward pursed his lips, looking thoughtful before he answered. "And if I do?"

Aro smiled, happy again. "Why, then you, Bella and your family would be free to go home and give my regards to my friend Carlisle." His expression then dropped into one of hesitation. "But I'm afraid you would have to mean it."

Aro raised his hand.

Caius, who had begun to scowl furiously, relaxed.

Edward's lips tightened into a thin, fierce line, and he turned his face to stare down at Bella with a tortured expression. She stared back.

"Mean it," she whispered. "Please."

Was the idea of her being one of us just that horrible to him? Was it because of her hanging around forever to be an eternal and immortal annoyance? Or was it because he loved her too much to confine her to this life? It wasn't perfect; heck, we weren't perfect. We had flaws, we had desires and we made mistakes. Edward needed to learn that no matter how selfish his decision now was, for I knew he would make the right choice somehow, it would be all good in the end. I repeated those words in my head. _It'll be all good in the end, bro; it'll all be good in the end…_

But Alice stepped forward then, her hand raised up like Aro's, and walked towards him. Aro, looked excited, waved off his anxious guard who moved to block her progress. Aro met my tiny sister halfway, and took her head eagerly with a keen, acquisitive glint in his red eyes.

He bent over their connected hands, his eyes closing as he concentrated. They were both motionless, like the rest of the vampires in the room, as we watched with bated breath. I heard Edward snap his teeth together.

No one moved and a few moments passed. Aro's hand seemed to be frozen to Alice's, whose face was blank but calm. I could see that Bella was stressing, fidgeting slightly as she watched the pair.

But then a finally second passed, and Aro's voice broke the silence.

"Ha, ha, ha!" he laughed, his head still bent forward. He looked up slowly, and I saw that his eyes were bright with exhilaration. "That was _fascinating_!"

Alice smiled dryly. "I'm glad you enjoyed it.

"To see the things you've seen – especially the ones that haven't happened yet!" He shook his head in wonder.

"But that will," she reminded him, voice calm.

"Yes, yes, it is quite determined. Certainty there's no problem."

Caius looked bitter and disappointed. Felix and Jane seemed to share the same view. But Alec, when I glanced at him, he smiled for a brief second, before he resumed a blank face.

"Aro," Caius complained loudly.

"Dear Caius," Aro soothed. "Do not fret. Think of the possibilities! They do not join us today, but we can always hope for the future." _He wishes!_ "Imagine the joy young Alice alone would bring to our little household… Besides, I'm terribly curious to see how Bella turns out!"

Didn't Aro realise how subjective Alice's visions were? She could make up her mind to turn Bella today, and then change it tomorrow! A thousand small, different decisions affected her sight. But Aro, he was convinced that turning her was a certain possibility. It was – I knew that, but happening so soon… not so.

But if Alice was willing, I had no problem with that. Bella was welcome into our family with open arms from, cough, _most _of us, and if there was a certain situation where Alice couldn't turn Bella, I would do it, despite my lack of self-control. I think Bella knew that, even if she didn't acknowledge it. I heard Edward's teeth ground together, probably after hearing my thoughts.

"Then we are free to go now?" Edward asked in an even voice.

"Yes, yes," Aro replied pleasantly. "But please visit again. It's been absolutely enthralling!"

"And we will visit you as will," Caius promised as he moved to sit at his throne, near the bored Marcus, who I sworn had not moved an inch from his position since this whole fiasco started. "To be sure that you follow through on your side. Were I you, I would not delay too long. We do not offer second chances."

The muscles in Edward's jaw tightened, but he nodded once.

Caius smirked before Felix suddenly let out a loud groan.

"Ah, Felix." Aro soothed, before smiling, slightly amused. "Heidi will be here at any moment. Patience."

"Hmm." Edward's voice had a new edge to it all of a sudden. "In that case, perhaps we'd better leave sooner rather then later."

"Yes," Aro agreed. "That's a good idea. Accidents _do _happen. Please wait below until after dark, though, if you don't mind."

"Of course," Edward agreed. I dreaded having to wait out the day for night.

"And here," Aro added, motioning to Felix. He moved forward at once and allowed Aro to unfasten the dark gray cloak around his neck, before the ancient tossed it towards Edward. "Take this. You're a little conspicuous."

Edward put the cloak on, but left the hood down.

Aro sighed. "It suits you."

Edward chuckled, but then broke off suddenly, glancing over his shoulder at the doors. "Thank you Aro, we will wait below."

"Goodbye young friends," Aro said, with his eyes bright once more as he stared in the same direction.

"Let's go," Edward urged, and we followed my brother out the wooden doors. I didn't notice for a few seconds, but Demetri was leading us.

Alice stood on Bella's other side, as Edward held her close. Though I didn't have a clear view, I knew my siblings had hard faces. Mine imitated them, as I walked swiftly behind Bella.

A babble of voices broke the silence up ahead. I could hear chooses of accents – Americans, Chinese, Mexican, Australian… They came from the stone ante chamber an as we grew closer to it, Demetri motioned for us to make room.

An American couple with wide eyes went through first, glancing around while the other nationalities follow them.

I could hear Aro from the throne room. "Welcome, guests! Welcome to Volterra!"

As the guests piled into the room, Edward pulled Bella to his chest, to rest her face there, but I saw the recognition flash in her eyes. She knew what was happening.

The smallest break appeared then and we hurried through. I forced my way to Alice's side, and from there, I could see a horrified expression on Bella's face, and the small pools of moisture forming in the corners of her eyes.

The golden hallway was quiet and empty, except for a single woman. She stared at us curiously, but smiled sweetly at me.

"Welcome home Heidi," Demetri greeted her from behind us. I hadn't noticed his change in position.

She smiled absently. She reminded me of Rosalie, but only because her beauty was nothing but greatness, exceptional, simply divine. No human could forget it.

And her dress emphasized that as well. She was dressed in the shortest of mini-skirts, her long legs covered with dark tights. Her top was of a dark red leather material, and was extremely close-fitting. Her hair was a darker then shade of mine, but just as long, and her eyes were the strangest colour. Not quite blue, not quite red… and yet, they weren't even purple! I knew they were the result of indigo-tinted contacts over red irises.

"Demetri," she responded in a sweet voice before she nodded her head at me, an indiscrete greeting.

"Nice fishing," Demetri complimented her, eyeing the tight-fitting outfit she had. So it _had _got their attention.

"Thanks." She flashed him a dazzling smile. "Aren't you coming?"

"In a minute. Save some for me…" The tone of his voice lost the playfulness and rang with malice and hunger.

Heidi nodded and ducked through the doors, but not before glancing one long last curious glance at our party.

Edward then began to walk quickly then, forcing Bella to run, but I knew it would not be enough to stop even her from hearing the long, piercing shrieks and screams that echoed down the hallway.


	23. Chapter 23: Home

**Hey readers! Another chapter is here! I decided to skip most of Chapter 22 because there wasn't really a point. After all, this is _Shayla's _story.  
In this chapter, we finally get the reunion! *squeals* Plus someone Shayla knows a little too well shows up ;). And family footy at the end.**

**Enjoy and don't forget tp reveiw! They make my day :D!**

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Chapter 23: Home

**Shayla's POV**

"This is your captain speaking. We shall be landing in Seattle in less then twenty minutes. Thank you for flying with Air Italina."

The male pilot's instructions blared through the speakers of the airplane before the native female Italian co-pilot repeated them. I understood a few words, but Italian wasn't one of the languages I had learned. I knew three types of the Indigenous Australian Aboriginal languages, Spanish, French, some Japanese, Portuguese, most wild animals barks, growls, meows and whatnot, as well as a little bit of German. I had learned some through school, but I had learnt the others through vacations we took, or through my family's tutoring skills.

I unhooked my seatbelt and turned to smile at Alice, who whispered, "Five minutes until we can hop off. And then I can see Jasper." For the whole trip home, Alice had been beaming and chattering on about Jasper. And she had called him as well, and from what I could judge from the whispers coming through the phone, he had been worried sick about her, though Alice knew he worried too much. I couldn't blame them though. She had someone who loved her very much… I wish I did, someone who _wasn't _just family.

Meanwhile, in front of us, Bella had stayed awake for the entire flight (thanks to the caffeine-soaked Cokes she had consumed) and Edward had been talking to her. Out of politeness, I had plugged in my earphones for my iPod and turned it up loud enough so I could focus on the music, and not the words being said in front of me. It also blocked out Alice's rapid chattering.

The plane landed smoothly without trouble. I rose up to grab the small bag I had brought with me from the overhead compartment, before I passed down Alice's as well. She grinned happily before we headed off.

I wasn't surprised by the reception that awaited us at the Sea-Tac airport terminal. I was the first off of our family and so, I saw Carlisle and Esme first, waiting in the corner, while Jasper paced uneasily. He glanced up when he saw me, but looked past to see Alice coming behind me. I tucked her under my arm and gave her a small squeeze around her shoulders, but soon left her with Jasper.

Carlisle and Esme were in the shadow of a huge pillar. Esme reached for me and hugged me tightly. "Ow, Mom, that hurts," I muttered jokingly before she released me. She held me back and stared lovingly back at me, smiling sweetly, a little watery-eyed.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you for bringing him back."

I shook my head just as Carlisle clapped me on the shoulder, like a normal father would do. "It was all Bella, not me, only Bella brought him back."

Carlisle just smiled at me, and opened his arms in invitation before I hugged him tightly. "As long as you are all home," he replied simply. "We missed you." He then eyed me oddly, which gave me the idea that I was in trouble for something I may, or may not have done. "And there is also the matter of you stealing my car… Shayla?"

I grinned nervously; in this case, I _had _done something wrong. "Um… Alice's idea?"

They laughed along with me just as Edward and Bella came towards us then. Esme took Bella in a hug, rather awkwardly I night add, since Edward refused to remove his arms from Bella, while Carlisle kept one arm around my shoulders. "Thank you so much," she said into her ear.

She threw her arms around Edward then, and suddenly growled at her son, "You will _never_ put me through that again."

Edward grinned, despite the tension in the room. "Sorry, Mom."

"Thank you, Bella," Carlisle said. "We owe you."

"Hardly," a sleepy Bella mumbled. She looked a bit worse for wear, with dark shadows suddenly forming under her eyes from the lack of sleep on the plane. She hadn't slept for over twenty-four hours now.

Esme voiced our concerns. "She's dead on her feet," she scolded my brother. "Let's get her home."

Together we stumbled (okay, that was just Bella) and walked out of the airport, to head down into the underground parking. I was wondered where the rest of my family was, when I saw them.

Besides the black Mercedes (which Carlisle must have recovered himself), there was another, unfamiliar car, a black sedan of some sort. And leaning against the hood, was Emmett, with Rosalie perched on his lap.

Beside me, Edward stiffened.

"Don't" Esme whispered. "She feels awful."

"She should," Edward responded rudely, not bothering to lower his voice. Wouldn't make a difference anyway, she _could_ hear him. After all, she _was_ a vampire for God's sake.

"I'm aware of that," he hissed under my breath at me. Oops, I had forgotten to watch my thoughts in last few months, and now I did. That would take some getting used to again. I liked not having my mind raped every few moments.

Edward growled softly, but was then distracted by the almost asleep Bella, who murmured, "It's not her fault." It sounded like garbled mush. She must have been exhausted.

"Let her make amends," Esme pleaded with my brother. "We'll ride with Alice and Jasper."

She and Carlisle went to the other car, followed by Jasper and Alice. I glanced at them quickly, confused, but soon went to the other car.

Rosalie slid off Emmett's lap as he came towards me to pick me up and swing me in a bear hug. "Thanks, Shay-Shay, you've fixed the family," he said, beaming. "We're all together again."

I chuckled. "I didn't, Bella did."

Behind me, I heard Bella whisper, "Please, Edward," to him, before he sighed and came towards us.

My elder sibling hoped in the front while I got in the back, on Bella's other side as she sat in the middle of the backseat, her head resting on Edward's chest, her eyelids coming down in defeat. The car purred to life just as out of the corner of my eye, I saw a group of adolescents on motorcycles. They waved at me, before they roared their bikes to life and departed the scene.

One, a handsome teenager with an angelic face, pale skin short, curly hair with half a rat-tail to the side, and deep, golden eyes, typical of a vegetarian vampire, remained behind for a second. He wasn't very tall, but quite lean and muscular. I happened to know that he was pretty fast.

As I watched him over the backseat, he placed two fingers to his lips before he flicked them in my direction before smiling. It took me a second to realise he was blowing me a kiss. I also saw him mouth, "I'll call you." I smiled back at him before waving back. He leapt on his bike and waved a final time before tearing after his friends.

"Oooo," Emmett suddenly called over to me. "Is that your BF, Shay-Shay?" He let out a loud cackle.

I frowned and sunk down into my seat. "Shut up and drive, Em, before I kick you so hard in the crotch that you won't be able to have sex for a week!"

There was a silence before Emmett covered his 'area' with one hand and muttered weakly, "I'll be good." I think I also heard Rosalie whisper, "Bitch…" But I wasn't too sure.

"Burn…" I thought I heard Edward whisper and I glanced at him. He raised his eyebrows and smiled a little.

"STFU," I muttered and sunk back deeper into my seat. There was few seconds of silence before I heard someone speak.

"Edward," Rosalie began in the smallest voice I had ever heard her use.

"I know," he answered back, though, not as nicely as he could have. Emmett was not bothered by it and started to drive out of the car park.

"Bella?" Rosalie asked softly.

Beside me, Bella's eyelids fluttered open, perhaps in shock. To my precisely perfect recollection, this was the first time Rosalie had spoken to her directly. _Ever_.

"Yes, Rosalie?" she asked, hesitant.

"I'm so very sorry, Bella. I feel wretched about every part of this, and so grateful that you were brave enough to go save my brother after what I did. Please say you'll forgive me."

The silence that followed her genuine words was awkward. Awkward because Rosalie was talking to the one person she had bitched about for the last four months, and whom she had never spoken to – only about.

But yet Bella must have decided that the words were sincere, because she soon answered Rosalie's question.

"Of course, Rosalie," she mumbled. "It's not your fault at all. I'm the one who jumped off the damn cliff. Of course I'll forgive you."

The words come out like mush, or, to quote Cady Heron in _Mean Girls_, "Word vomit."

"It doesn't count until she's conscious, Rose," Emmett chuckled.

"I'm conscious," she insisted.

"Let her sleep," Edward insisted, his voice becoming less icy.

Bella was losing the fight to stay awake. Her eyes were drifting close and she let her head rest on my shoulder. I slowly moved her so she could lean on Edward instead. He shot me a curious look, one that said, "What's the hell?"

_Hey, Eddy, I got a new nickname for you,_ I started to tell him mentally. _Want to hear it? Hello there, Ass-Ward._

"You hang around Emmett too much," he hissed. "And I deeply resent that new 'nickname'."

Both Emmett and Rosalie chuckled from the front seat.

The drive home wasn't long at all; Emmett was speeding greatly. We drove out to the old family home, and when we got there, I saw a large amount of boxes and bags on the front porch, out of the way of the drizzle. Esme was talking rapidly on a phone, and as we approached while Edward took Bella to his car so he could drive her home, I could hear that she was arranging for the rest of our items to be brought home to us.

Alice and Jasper were conversing quietly with Carlisle near the other end, but when I approached, Jasper removed himself from Alice and came towards me. He opened his arms and I seized him around the middle, hugging him tightly. How close I was to losing the people dearest to me – my family.

"Ow," Jasper complained, before I released him, grinning guiltily. But he laughed and reached out a hand to ruffle my hair. Which I _hated_, and he knew it!

"Don't even think about killing him, Shay-Shay, or I'll kick your ass," Alice scolded as she approached me to poke me in the ribs.

I snorted and looked her up and down. "Wow, I'm so scared," I drawled sarcastically.

Her eyes narrowed playfully. "Don't push it, _little _sister."

"Bite me," I retorted and stuck my tongue at her. I also made a mental not to flip her off later.

She took a step forward and I tensed up. "I will…" she promised, and she came closer. Of course she saw my next move, but she let me have it.

"Gotta catch me first!" I boomed, before launching myself over the rail with one hand and thus, over Rosalie and Emmett's heads who were… connected in one way or another. Eww, mega yuck!

"Get a room!" I called over my shoulder, just as Alice started to chase me around the front yard. I was quicker then her, using a few of my 'skillz' to dodge her grabs, but she knew my moves and it was hard to surprise her. But she let me enjoy myself by beating her for a change.

Soon, Jasper joined in, and if Jasper was having fun, Emmett didn't want to miss out. Poor Rosalie, she had to come have some fun in this massive game of Tag (which would soon progress into wrestling), or risk being left behind.

It was every vampire for themselves until us girls ganged up on the boys and trapped them against the house. Esme and Carlisle, smiling at our attempt of having fun, began to bring the boxes inside, zipping in as fast as they could, until Esme interrupted us.

"I appreciate you all having fun," she began, eyeing us with a worried expression as Emmett was getting pinned by Rosalie very, _very_ close to the house. Em would struggle, like he always does, and then it would be bye-bye window... "But please, watch out for the house!" She grabbed an oval-shaped, brown object from the box besides the door which she hadn't taken in yet, and threw it to me. "Play with this. But be gentle. That means you too, Emmett McCarty Cullen!"

We laughed when we glanced back to see Emmett pouting with Rosalie sitting on his chest.

I glanced at the football in my hand. It was not an American Football but rather a rugby league ball, a souvenir from my home town of Yamba, a beach-side town on the NSW coast. It was white, with some waves, sharks and other coastal images along the side.

"Cool, footy!" I laughed, before I kicked up into the air, only for me to catch it again after a small correction to my position. "Who's up for an ass-kicking?"

"Girls versus boys?" Jasper asked and after we all nodded in agreement, he called out to Carlisle. "Carlisle! We need another player."

Dad then came out, dressed in jeans and a football jersey, quite casual for him. "I thought so. Esme wants to unpack alone. Apparently I'm being a menace." He chuckled and clapped the boys on the shoulders.

"You were being such a man," I heard Esme mumble playfully from upstairs, and Carlisle's mouth twitched up at the corners.

I turned to my team, proclaiming myself captain. "Alright ladies, let's kick these boys tails all the way to Ithaca!" Holding up my hand, I received a three-way high-five, and we began out game of good-ol' fashioned, family football.


	24. Chapter 24: Whose The Superiour Species?

**Whoop! Another chapter! I was feeling under the weather so my mother rang me in sick to work... And failed to tell me, so I woke in a panic, thinking I was late until she told me to go back to sleep. So, I had a whole day of writing, despite the sunny weather. Winter is fianlly ending here in Australia!**

**Speaking of work, my friend whom I work with is also on here and she would absolutly _love _me if I scored her some reviews. So check her out at: www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net/u/2355621/Joshley_Obsessive_Fangirl . She's not the best author but she's only young so give her some advice and help her out! I even dedicate this chapter to her. Love ya JOB!**

**This was one of my longer and one of the first ones I didn't 'borrow' from the book. I wanted this scene so much and I even got a new character - Shayla's very own Imagiantion Monster! Who is it? Read and see ;D**

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Chapter 24: Whose the superiour species?

**Shayla's POV**

The football game was fun, something I hadn't experienced in a long time. We were all smiling, laughing, joking and in general, acting like a proper family. Rosalie was letting down her barriers and wasn't acting like a total bitch, Carlisle and Alice were watching Emmett being a goof and who was wrestling with Jasper, who in turn was teasing me about my 'boyfriend'. In response to this, everyone began to laugh and Alice made kissing noises. I snarled and in retaliation, threw a rock at her head, before she ducked, laughing. She and Rose continued to tease me about Pete and I became pissed off, and stomped inside.

Esme was in the kitchen, happily cleaning. I sat myself at the clean breakfast bar on one of the spinning stools. I spun myself around once, before I rested my elbows on the clean granitite top of the bench, grinning at her with my head being held in my hands.

"It's good to be home," I said, as she moved around at an inhuman speed to remove every last speck of thick dust from the floors and countertops.

"Yes it is," Esme agreed, before she glanced around. "Can you hand me the mop, sweetie?"

"Nope," I answered, popping the 'P'. "I'm going to do it for you." To prove my point I grabbed the mop from the bucket beside me and soaked it, before I proceeded to wash the floors in a hurried matter. I didn't mind helping my mother; it gave us a chance to bond – sort of.

She pecked me on the cheek before she gave me a quick squeeze around the shoulders. "Thank you," she said, but then she snatched the mop off me. "But I refuse to let my daughter wash the floors when her siblings are outside having fun!" She grinned at me.

As if on cue, Emmett burst through the door, making it slam against the wall, but not breaking anything – a miracle. "Let's go running, Shayla!" he boomed. "We're going to go lay down new scent trails! C'mon!" His voice adopted a whiny tone before he seized my upper arm and dragged me outside, laughing the whole time.

"Jackass!" I snarled, but he just kept laughing and threw me on the ground besides Rose and Alice, who were lounging around and relaxing.

Jazz rolled his eyes. "Quit fooling around, Em, we have some work to do!" We glanced at him, confused. He sighed and started to explain. "Traditionally, other vampires will move into a vacant territory, if the scent trails they smell are old, like ours."

I could see where he was going with this. "So… I guess your saying we need to lay some brand new scent tracks around?"

He nodded in response, excitement and a dash of impatience dancing in his eyes and spreading out to us all with his gift. Rose fiddled with her fingers, Emmett began to pace impatiently, and Alice jiggled her foot in an uneven tempo. I myself began to drum my fingers on my knee, in the drum beat of '_Imma Be_' by the Black Eyed Peas.

Alice, either recognising the beat or seeing it in her clairvoyant ability, giggled at this, but then was silenced as she paid attention to Jasper's next words as he continued to speak. "Exactly, Shayla. So, obviously, we should lay down some brand new scent trails, so if we do run into trouble, they know who they're dealing with. Agreed?"

Emmett pumped his fist in the air. "I say fuck yeah! Are you all with me?"

Rose nodded at her mate's declaration. "Though, not exactly my idea of a fun time, there isn't much else to do. I say we should go for it." She allowed Emmett to pull her up and latched onto his mouth rather enthusiastically. I looked away out of habit and saw Jasper chuckling while he kissed Alice.

I gulped, feeling slightly uncomfortable in the current situation, and got up and turned on my heel to walk away into the woods unnoticed while they were distracted with one another. I rather disliked that there were times when we were all hanging out and one couple, usually Rosalie and Emmett, would kiss the other and then, manipulate by their emotions, Jasper would kiss Alice, who would _always _see it coming. She knew that whenever they got together physically, like today, it hurt me because I was alone with no one of my own. It wasn't like they had sex or anything together; it was just that I felt lonely when they were with their mates. I tried my best to give them days and nights alone, usually relying on Edward for company. He would play the piano usually, and I, with a book in my lap or a guitar in my hands, would sit with him and together, we would do our best to ignore the slightly muffled cries of bliss and the strong emotions of lust and desire that would be echoing throughout the household. I had always been grateful that I didn't have Edward's mindreading ability but at the same time, I pitied him and felt bad that he had to suffer much more then I did.

I had walked far into the woods, and yet no one had run after me. I should have felt heartbroken that none of them cared enough about me to find out where I was going, but I knew, deep, deep down in their stone hearts, they did. They were my family, and had taken me under their wings when I should have been left for myself. I secretly (or rather, not-so-secretly when my gifted siblings were around) suspected that if they had changed me and had forced me out, I would have become a complete savage vampire, never loving or caring about others, only hating, feeding and killing, my emotions and actions driven by one thing – blood.

I shuddered intensely. Fortunately, I didn't have to deal with that. Some of my actions might have still been driven by a wild, primal, unquenchable bloodlust but at least I had someone to hold me back now and tell me that the self loathing I would feel afterwards would not be worth the short satisfaction I would experience momentarily along with a burn-free throat. The hatred I felt for myself was the worst thing – I couldn't stand it. It killed me… I couldn't stand myself knowing I had taken away a person's father, mother, son, daughter, sister, brother, cousin, aunt, uncle or whatever the heck they were. I had lost my real, biological family, and I knew how horrible that was, along with the fact that the victims' families of my horrific crime didn't have the chance of having another family, perhaps better, come along to take care of them. Just like the Cullens had for me. I was grateful for that.

I smiled at my slightly abrupt mood change, but I also suspected that it wasn't of my own doing. Chuckling, I reached the borderline of our territory which went along a long ravine, to which a slightly deep river ran through, with a bare, rocky bank with the trees a fair few feet behind, and then, all of a sudden, I could smell the strong stench of wolf in the air. Had they come onto our land while we were gone? I stood on a pile of rocks, dropped as carelessly on one another as though a giant had done it, and closed my eyes. Oh yes, I could smell _everything_. From the herd of elk moving to the north, to the salmon blood being spilled from the fish as presumably a grizzly tore at its scales downriver and to the south-west. And I could smell the tangy, animal-like blood of the werewolves, which as I twisted my head back and forth, was on _our_ territory! Those bloody mongrels, I ought to…!

When I heard hurried footsteps, I immediately tensed, snapped my eyes open, whipped around and snarled furious noises, but then Alice emerged from the shadows of the forest and skipped lightly to my side.

"Relax…" she said, her voice slow. It gave me the impression that she was speaking to a domestic animal or pet, like a dog. That made my (imaginary) blood boil, but before I could protest with a few choice swear words and growls, she spoke again. "I mean it, Shay-Shay," she said softly. "You need to relax. The dogs haven't been on our territory for no reason. They were chasing someone, and decided to use our vacant space to patrol the land."

"I don't like it," I mumbled lamely. "It's our zone, so they should stick to their own goddamn land."

"Neither do I, but we can't do anything until we see them again," she told me, just as I smelled Jasper approach us from the tree line. A little half-smile was on his face, and he directed happy vibes at me. My mouth twitched at the ends, and he pulsed more of the happy emotions at me.

I couldn't help it, I grinned at him. He laughed. "There's our happy Shayla," he teased. "We thought we lost you for a second."

I managed to give a small smile in his direction. "Yep, still here," I replied. "You can't get rid of, can you?"

But as I said that, I could hear Rosalie and Emmett from deep in the woods. "Damn, Rose, you are still as fine as ever… You getting me all excited there…"

I heard Rose giggle, surprising for her nature. "Don't I know it! Now, you stay still because I am going to…" I refuse to repeat what I heard her say what she was going to do to Emmett!

I stared horrified at Alice and Jasper. Due to Rosalie and Emmett being more… flamboyant and open about their physical relationship, all of us, even Carlisle and Esme, had walked in on them in the middle of… pursuing their love (or lust, depending on how you looked at it) and in a rather awkward position. Carlisle even kicked them out once, while Emmett was still recovering from his newborn-ness (I wasn't around then), because every time they were together, they were… connected, sometimes in more then one way. Eventually, Carlisle and Esme got sick of it and built a house for them, a couple of miles away. They were far enough so that they couldn't hear them, but close enough so they could still visit often. I suppose Edward was thankful; he didn't have to deal with their lust-filled thoughts.

But, of course, once everything calmed down a bit and my older siblings could control their emotions better, they were welcome back. But still, there were several occasions when I had come home to an empty house and found them in a horrifying (for me) situation – especially if it was on my bed, like that time back in 1999. Apparently, instead of kissing on New Years Eve, Rosalie and Emmett decided to take it to the next level and the closest room was my own. Needless to say, my voice box got a workout after I found the state it was left in. Emmett tried to pin it on Alice and Jasper but it was no use; their stench was covering the entire room! I think I had been mentally scarred for eternity since that day…

Alice put her hand on my shoulder. "Let's get out of here," she suggested. I nodded and we ran along the ravine, heading away from the sound of our other siblings voices.

Footfalls were suddenly being heard as somebody was running out to join us. Out of the bushes came Esme and Carlisle, dressed in jeans and plain t-shirts and rough jackets, to run with us. Esme caught my eye and I knew what she was thinking – the others must have been close to the house and they had to get away from that as well.

This was the best. Running with my family through the somewhat open land, being free to do what we want, without having to feed – yet – and be savage monsters like we were destined to be… It was practically paradise!

Suddenly, Alice stopped and gasped, near a point on the ravine. We halted immediately as she whirled around. "What do you see?" Jasper asked, taking her in his arms and staring into her blank eyes.

She gulped noiselessly, looked up into his face and answered with a single, blunt word, "Werewolves."

I immediately tensed up when I heard the word and a low snarl escaped from my bared teeth. Jasper let a low growl slip out, but controlled himself and sent soothing waves in my direction. I relaxed against my will, but I knew there was no point fighting it.

"How many are there, Alice?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't know…" she whimpered, embarrassed that she couldn't know the answer. "I can't See them. It's just blurry and smudgy. It's hurting my head to try and focus on them; I'm getting a headache!" She buried her face in Jasper's chest.

Esme looked worried. "What do we do?"

Carlisle glanced between us all. "I don't think they know we're back… So we'll just confront them when they come on our territory, and explain the situation to them. The treaty still exists."

But there was something wrong with his plan. "Wait…" I started. "If Alice and I saw Jacob Black with Bella when we came back, wouldn't have he told them we're back in town? And he would have checked up on Bella when we got back as well, I think, and she's with Edward."

Alice nodded her head. "Yes, I think you're right, Shayla. They _do _know we're back. But yet they still come onto our territory, instead of staying on their own land. It doesn't make any sense…"

"Perhaps they're waiting for us to correct this mistake," Jasper suggested.

Carlisle nodded. "So we confront them, non-violently, and let them know the boundary still exists," he then replied. "Does anyone have a problem with that?" We shook our heads. "Good," Carlisle continued. "So, let's go and track these wolves down. We'll head downriver first and then go back upriver if we don't find them."

"We might need your nose, Shayla," Esme added. "Though they can stink up a storm, you can help us track them down perfectly."

I nodded my head before I stepped forward into the open wind. I closed my eyes and focused on just inhaling and exhaling the cool air. I could taste the various plant and tree scents on my tongue, sense the various woodland creatures' scents throughout the forest, and I could smell the sharp, musky scent of werewolf being carried on the small breeze that blew from the east.

I snapped open my eyes then when my mind comprehended the stench less then a second after it reached my nostrils. I cried, "This way!" and before they could respond or act, I shot off like an arrow from a bow, moving my feet as fast as I could.

I could taste the scent in my mind, and it gave me the will to shift into my alter-ego form. I felt my body go into the streamline form from which I could go as fast as Edward could run. My arms grew longer, my feet and toes became stubs with the lion-like, silver claws, and my legs began to shift joints slightly. It didn't hurt but if I didn't head closer to the ground soon, I would be extremely uncomfortable. Behind me, I could hear my family catching up to me – fast. Soon, Jasper and Carlisle were on either side on, but a little behind so they could still follow me. Alice and Esme were behind their husbands.

In my new form, I galloped across the land, my nose leading the way as I twisted between the trees and rocks lining the ravine, searching for the wolves that invaded our territory. The scents were a mix of new and old, some were months old, others were freshly made from a few minutes ago. It was getting difficult to distinguish them from each other and I was about to give up.

I saw something up ahead and I summoned all my energy to out on a sharp burst of speed, that put me ahead of my father and brother, the two fastest vampires in the family, apart from Edward, of course.

The animal ahead gave a sharp growl when I stopped a few feet away from it. It was as huge as a grizzly, but it was more muscular, more canine then a bear. The massive wolf pulled its lips back to reveal dagger-like teeth from beneath its silvery muzzle. It snarled again, its chest rumbling from the noise, before the grey fur on its hunched back stood on end. Its claws, probably retractable like a feline's and not at all like a wolf's, were clinging to the dirt, as if they were the only thing holding the wolf back from attacking us.

And then, I realised, the werewolf was on _our _land! The large footprints clearly imprinted in the dirt before me were leading from the other side of the ravine, to our side. Water dripped around the wolf's feet, clearly stating that it had not leapt over, but swam instead.

Suddenly, Jasper was by my side and he let loose a growl. The wolf stepped back, obviously intimidated by the two-against-one predicament. It didn't seem to know what to do and whimpered as Alice, Esme and Carlisle joined us. As they came into view, the wolf yelped and shot off. Jasper cried out for it to stop, but it leapt off the stony bank and paddled to the other side of river, and clambered up the steep bank.

Two more wolves slunk out of the bushes. Both were larger then the other wolf and they were of different colours as well. One had grey fur, like the first, but it was darker, an almost storm cloud-like colour as opposed to the silvery fur on the first wolf, and the other wolf was a light, tan-like brown, almost like the Quileutes own skin.

The three wolves looked as if they didn't know how to react or what to do next. And to tell you the truth, I wasn't too sure either. Sure, they had trespassed onto our territory, thus breaking the territory, but if did it unintentionally, by thinking we were still gone, it didn't count, right? I wish Edward was here. He always knew what to do, even if his mind-reading was technically 'cheating'.

My father looked as if he didn't know how to proceed either. There was the issue of the wolf-to-vampire-not-being-able-to-communicate-between-one-another as well, for it seemed none of the wolves wanted to phase back to talk. Either that or they didn't really want to be seen naked in front of us. And, as far as my animal communication went, the wolves' growls and snarls sounded like, well, exactly that. They were not saying anything but making noises for the sack of it. Kind of like when I hissed when I couldn't say what I really wanted to (usually a 'Fuck you!').

But then, two figures came out of the bushes. One was a wolf, the other, a man.

The wolf was bigger then the others. Not lankier or fatter, but a combination of more muscle, longer legs and just in general, bigger. Its fur was similar to the other brown wolf's colour, but it was darker, and had more red then the other. Its eyes were not black like the other wolves, but rather a dark, rusty brown colour that could have been mistaken for black by a human.

The man was bloody _huge_. He probably was just as tall, if not taller, then Jasper and Emmett, who were the tallest in our family. His chest was bare and he wore only a pair of cut-off jeans and white sneakers. His skin was dark, like all Indians, and his black hair was cropped short. He had a tattoo on one arm, on the bicep, of two wolves in a circle howling at an unknown moon. He wasn't old, but his face showed lines of age, and he seemed to be mature way past his years, which I guess was the early twenties.

His eyes narrowed as he took in the five of us standing on the opposite bank of the wolf pack. But his face remained composed into a neutral expression, and then he said a single word, "Carlisle. I see you're back. I believe we need to talk?"

"Yes, Sam, we do indeed," Carlisle answered before he nodded and moved to a part of the bank that jutted out, like a cliff ledge. There was another one directly opposite him, like it had been a natural bridge but it had been smashed to prevent crossing to the other side.

Sam was on the other ledge with the wolves lined up on the opposite bank like bodyguards, which reminded me that Emmett and Rosalie were not with us as Emmett was kind of like a bodyguard (to me, at least), standing opposite one of us and moving to pace occasionally. Low growls slipped through their teeth occasionally and the smallest wolf, the silver-haired one, was focused on me, despite the fact that if we were to fight, Alice would be the better target for him. But his grey eyes were focused entirely on me.

I should have been scared out of my wits, but the ancient instinct of fighting was building up in me. I suppose I was like Jasper in a way – the urge to fight and kill was just always _there_. I guess it was the animal instincts contributing as well, and I think the fact that I never got to defend myself in my old life, might be subconsciously forcing me to fight and attack those who tried to attack me. I could feel the little monster inside me, a little, jade-green, feminine dragon-like creature who strongly resemble me in a way, screeching as it tried to tell me to fight back.

_Shut up! _I mentally shouted at it, and it got bundled into a cage. It swore insanely and jumped up and down, flapping its tiny wings in a mad rage and whipping its tail around. Finally, it settled down in the corner and began to sulk, baring its fangs in a half cute/ half menacing way.

Great, my imagination was now getting the better of me by creating a dragon that represented me, to mock me! Was I going crazy? Was that possible for immortals?

Meanwhile, despite the distance that separated them, Sam and Carlisle was conversing in quiet tones and I, having been too bust focusing on the super annoying new occupant in my imagination, had missed all of it. But I managed to catch Sam's last words.

"So it's settled," he declared. "The treaty is back up as well as the boundaries. No members of my pack and your clan will step onto the others territory as per the treaty describes. Not even if the red-head jumps between them."

"But, she's gone, right?" I questioned, speaking to him fro the first time. "As soon as she detected mine and Alice's scent, she raced off."

Everyone, even the wolves, gave me a 'How the hell did she know that?'

I shrugged. "I got someone to track her for me. All they got was a trail leading to the north and disappearing far into Canada. I think she swam somewhere as well. Either way, she's gone now. So the treaty remains unbroken and all the same right?"

Sam's jaw clenched and he hissed out, "Yes, that is correct, Cold One."

"That's Shayla, to you," I suddenly growled, not happy with the term for our 'species'. We didn't have any nicknames from them; well, apart from 'Mongrel', 'Dog', 'Fleabag', etcetera, etcetera. We were, after all, the superior species, weren't we? I wasn't too sure, but according to many, we were. But personally, it was just an unanswered question in my mind.

Sam growled softy at me, a warning, just as we stared at each other with narrowed eyes, clenched fists and bared teeth before Esme intervened. "We shall take our leave now," she said in a calm voice to all of us, helped a little along by Jasper. "Stay well, Sam Uley."

Sam nodded once before he suddenly ripped his head back and pulled his teeth back to give a very convincing wolf howl. The wolves howled with him, but they didn't have the same… ring to it as he did.

And out-of-the-blue, Sam suddenly exploded and all that remained was a hulking mass of black fur with bared teeth, massive snapping jaws and strips of fabric by his paws, both white from his shoes and demine from his pants. His eyes were different from the others. They were almost golden, but had a tan-ish tinge to them.

He watched us for a long time, while the other wolves slowly, as if they expected to be attacked, slunk off into the forest. And then, with a flick of his black tail, the alpha disappeared into the dark woods of their land.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I watched Dad return to us and wrap his arm around Mom, trying to hide his relief from the situation. He shook his head, as if to rid his insecurities before Alice wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me.

"I think it's time we went home," I suggested, smiling shyly as Jasper gave both me and Alice a hug at the same time. I let my smile become a huge grin, as I leapt into my favourite running pose, leading the way home, with my family at my heels.

Oh yes, it was good to be home.

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**Ended a little on a short note but I'm tired and want to go to bed T.T Enjoy!**


	25. Chapter 25: Cliffside Thoughts

**Hello all, here's another chapter! Mostly filler, but then we switch to Alice's POV for the next chapter, where the voting begins and Shayla oices her opinion and her main argument, which is also the chapter title (not this one). But does she vote for Bella to become a vampire, or against?**

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**Chapter 25: Cliffside Thoughts **

**Shayla's POV **

After the confrontation with the wolves, we raced back through the woods towards home. Alice warned us that Rosalie and Emmett were still, err, as you would say, _pursuing_ their love outside near the back porch, so we instead ran in a wide arch and took off in separate directions, to cover the werewolves scents that know were stinking up our entire territory – even right up to the house, according to my nose.

And we stunk to, as the trees and bushes we brushed past; their leaves wiped the werewolf scent onto our granite-like skin without us even noticing for their soft caresses were like being hit with a feather, you hardly noticed.

But, as the wind changed direction we noticed the scent – I more then the others – and Jasper was the first to whirl around, snarling but not seeing anything, while everyone else looked confused at the mystery scent. I realised first and laughed out loud, before I took off towards the river and dived in. The water might have been freezing to a human, but to us, it was barely noticeable and felt like just a slightly cool bath.

After I did this, Alice, her tinkling bell-like laugh following all the way, jumped in next to me, and proceeded to try and dunk my head underwater. I let her do so, but once I was under the murky water, I opened my eyes to see where she was, and then grabbed onto her legs.

Alice has a thing against someone grabbing her legs. I don't know why, but she hated it and everyone knew that. Even in a play fight, we wouldn't try it, not that we could catch her anyway, because Alice would hiss widely and kick out madly, and trust me – it hurt. Alice hissing or growling was a rare thing – she only did it when there was an absolute need, such as in a fight with another hostile vampire or when she was either very angry, or very scared. Rosalie and I did it more often; it was a way of expressing our feelings and emotions when we didn't know what to say.

Maybe Alice's leg issue was due to the fact she had a handful of scars across the middle of her calves and going down until they reached the back of her knees. They were not overlapping, like Jasper's, but they were more spread out. She doesn't know how she got them, and she didn't like to be seen with them. That's why she always wore long jeans and knee-length dresses instead of anything else. Personally, I thought that she thought they made her looked imperfect and ugly, even though she though Jasper was flawless even with his many battle scars and, after all, she was one of the most gorgeous young women I had even seen in my thirty-four years. Not that she believed that, though, she always was a bit blind when it came to beauty. After all, she thought _I _was beautiful.

Anyway, while I was underwater and after grabbing her legs, I managed to get a solid footing on the bottom on this practically shallow part of the river, and proceeded to lift her up and throw her playfully.

I knew she would be pissed at me. But I was still a hormonal, rebellious teenager, despite some of my wisdom being far more sophisticated and intelligent for someone of my physical age, and some of the things I've done are usually a 'act now, think later' action. I suppose I was like Emmett, but female and driven by my impulses a lot more.

Alice resurfaced out of the water, looking very, very annoyed, but not as much as she would have been normally. It didn't stop her yelling thought, her soprano voice going up an octave, like all of ours did. I had rarely heard Esme yell, unlike we all did, her heart of gold didn't allow her too. Don't get me wrong, she can get a set of lungs on her when she needs to, but she was always the sweet, kind, mothering figure we all cherished and loved, who was there to hold us when we need to be. She filled the void in my heart where only a mother's love and affection could fill it.

"Shayla!" Alice growled, breaking me out of my inner thoughts. I glanced at her and saw that she was growling softly, her teeth half-bared. "You know I absolutely_ hate _that!"

I shrugged, not really caring about her feelings at the moment. It did feel selfish but now, I didn't care.

She hissed, perhaps pissed at my not-so-caring attitude. "You could at least pretend to care," she snarled angrily. Alice was rarely pissed, but when she was, you knew you must have done something bad.

"After all," she continued. "We try our best not to touch _your_ scars."

On the last word of her statement, she darted through the word with the speed and grace of a fish, before she laid her hand on one of the thick, brownish, uneven scars on my back, one of the eight or nine that lined my back from the top of my rear nearly to my shoulder blades. I had received them as a human teenager, from an abusive farm boss after I didn't hold my tongue. For some, unknown reason, they remained after my transformation. I hated getting them touched, just like I hated the cattle brand burn mark/ scar on my hip getting touched. It reminded me of the suffering I went through before I became one of the immortal beings.

I leapt back from her hand with a strangled hiss and smacked her hand away. She had a sort of smug expression on her face, once that could have easily been seen on Rosalie's face. I guess I had deserved it for grabbing her legs and being, in general, an inconsiderate ass to her.

"Sorry, sis," I mumbled, feeling the emotional pain being ripped open again and an infection setting in, like ripping off stitches and letting yourself bleed to death.

Alice's mood dropped and she paddled over to me anxiously, with concern replacing smugness on her beautiful face, but all she got back was a quiet snarl. I was still pissed off with her.

A calming influence came over me and I looked up instinctively to see Jasper, kneeling by the river, having heard the entire conversation, and projecting calming emotions all over us.

But I tried to fight it; trying to keep my head above the sea of tranquil he submerged us in. These emotion, were fake, and if I didn't fight it, I would be worse off later. I couldn't allow myself to be calmed down momentarily, only once I was out of his range, to be angry all over again! No, it was best to fight it and have your own feelings not being altered by your emphatic brother.

He sensed my feelings and I felt the emotions being reeled back for a moment as he sensed my enraged feelings, but then he hit me again with stronger, peaceful emotions. Immediately, I relaxed, but managed to get enough energy to scramble out of the water to the opposite bank, and stop just at the tree line.

"Cut it out, Jazz," I growled at him. "You know I hate feeling peaceful when I'm not really."

Esme and Carlisle appeared then, behind Jasper. Carlisle's face had a stony expression upon it, as he encountered the stronger then normal calm emotion radiating out from Jasper. Esme looked worried and she glanced at Alice, drenched in the water, and then me, looking like a deer caught in headlights and whose about to take flight if someone moves just a tiny bit, I would be gone like a shot.

Suddenly, the sound of pounding footsteps were heard within hearing range, and then Emmett came bounding in, Rosalie right behind him. Both seemed oddly happy for an unknown reason, despite the fact that their clothes were practically torn to shreds, and Rosalie's hair looked like a bird had been nesting in it. Their hands were tightly wound together, and I guess, it wouldn't take a human to figure out what they had done in the last hour or so.

I glanced over my shoulder at them, feeling their stares burning into my back as they watched me. But finally, I gave a small shake of my head, before I rolled my shoulders back, and leapt into my hunting run, without a care in the world for them, because now, it was time to focus on me.

Then, for the first – and only – time in my eternal existence, I wished I was one of those mangy werewolves. They seemed to have it easy compared to us. Hardly any commitments like we had – the hospital for Charlie, Bella for Edward, and so forth. It must be great to just close your eyes, lose yourself, and just… run. Run like the very wind, like the river, like the birds in the sky. And it must be nice, to have peace and quiet, with just you and nature… Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but sometimes I wish they would just leave me alone and let me have some time to myself. Feeling of anger and… pissed-off-ness rose in my mind, almost making me see red through my amber-eyes vision.

I didn't even know why I felt so angry. I was the one to piss Alice off; after all, not the other way around, as my rage told me. I hated feeling this mad; it made me uncontrollable, wild, unpredictable… Good in a fight, against someone weaker than I, but it made me more prone to make mistakes, even if I got my teeth around a vampire's arm, leg or even neck. Jasper told me that the new vampires who acted like I did often got killed first. They were too feisty, apparently. When he told me this, I nearly chuckled.

But now, it kind of made sense.

I didn't pay attention to where I was running. The trees flew past, their leaves a soft caress on my skin, and the roots they sprouted above the ground provided footing for me as I raced past. I jumped the river, skidding on the mud, before I raced away, and going deeper into the woods.

I finally came to a rocky cliff, near the river that ran past our house, and sat down on the edge, looking over the forest, over the river, to gaze at my home. My eyes, more powerful then an owl's and eagle's combined, could see Esme and Carlisle were walking slowly up the back porch. Esme stopped, and pulled Carlisle towards her, where they kissed for a long second, before heading inside. With his arm wrapped around his mate's shoulders, Emmett soon followed with Rose, with Alice and Jasper following. I saw Alice sigh, and Jasper whisper something too quiet to hear from a distance in her ear, before all were inside, and I had nothing to see.

As I sat up on that rocky cliff, jutting out of the grassy hill, my mind was on haywire but my super-fast brain soon processed the information far quickly then any human's could. Memories of the last few days played over and over again, like a record player stuck on a groove or like flashbacks in a television show or movie.

_Racing home and finding Bella alive and well. _

_Going hunting and sharing the bear with Alice._

_Racing away from Forks after Jacob the mangy mutt begged Bella not to go. _

_Flying to Volterra. _

_Diving off rooftops to save our brother._

_Getting taken to Aro, Caius and Marcus for 'punishment'. _

_Seeing Jane torture Edward as we watched, horrified. _

_Fighting Felix and almost getting my neck snapped off._

_Flying home and getting off the plane, to see my family._

_Running away from said family, because I was pissed off at them._

I sighed and shook my head sadly, as I sat up on the cliff, alone. My life has been a mess lately. _Always has been_, I reminded myself grimly. _And always will be…_

Life is meant to be an adventure. When you're born, that's when your adventure starts and continues along until you're done, or in other words, dead. But we were still here, not quite alive, but not quite dead. We were stuck in this eternal body, unable to have kids, grow old, or even get hurt and die. I, for one, didn't mind, but now… I wish I had enjoyed my human life a bit more.

But, just because you wish for something, doesn't mean you get what you wanted. It means you don't get, rarely ever do you get what you wanted.

Life is kind of funny that way. You might want something, from the bottom of your heart, like the new Xbox game, a puppy or a baby brother or sister, but you might not end up getting it, or end up with the opposite. But then again, life can throw the thing you want most in the world, and you probably don't appreciate it at all, and become a selfish monster, always wanting more – kind of like a vampire.

Like my family. I loved them more then anything else in the universe, but they still made me angry or sad. But they also made me… happy. They were my only family, after all. They saved me from myself (and a mountain lion) and despite all the shit they put me through, they loved me.

And I loved them.


End file.
